Dear Readers, One way that a person can use creative imagination is in the purposeful planning for peace. Everywhere we are bombarded with signs and symbols of aggravation, dissension, and indicators of aggression that ultimately lead to war. What makes it so, and how can one person ultimately make a difference? Driving to work yesterday, I actively looked for the usual signs of spring that herald the season of renewal in Northwest Indiana. Returning robins, budding pussywillows, longer days, and greening grass are all present for the viewing. These harbingers come naturally and when they return almost an audible sigh of relief is heard indicating that spring is once again in the works. But, yesterday I noticed man-made beauty too. Some yards have flower beds that display yellow daffodils that add beauty to residences. Some neighbors are collecting litter that has accumulated over the winter and are tidying up their spots on the planet. Dead leaves are being raked up and bagged for disposal. As the outdoors is spruced up, evidence of interior cleaning is occurring too. This caused me to wonder what would happen if everyone did the following: 1. Construct and maintain a flower bed with seasonal blooms that passersby could enjoy - sort of like eye candy for the soul. Wouldn't some people slow down and admire the festival of colors? Friendly competition could occur as one neighbor learns from and imitates another. Growing the best morning glories, marigolds, zinnias, 4 o'clocks, roses, hollyhocks, petunias, pansies, moonflowers, etc., could replace our attraction to the gore of the daily news. Seeds can be cultivated and shared over a cup of coffee or tea. Just think of the beauty and the small cost of creating such wonder! What can you construct with a shovel, soil, seeds and self? Go for it. Make someone's day this way! 2. In Ireland, communities are recognized for being "Tidy Towns." As you enter a town, a large congratulatory sign is displayed indicating the award and the year it was received. When seen, this sends a message that the town respects the environment, and people tend not to litter because the town openly displays the value of being clean. Driving to work I can count by blocks the road kill that litters the streets in various forms of decomposition along the highways I travel. Cats, dogs, deer, raccoons, possums, skunks, fowl, rats, and even turtles are daily reminders of life's untidy consequences. Probably on my daily thirty mile one way commute, I can count without trying 30-40 carcasses along my path. Not too pleasant of a sight. Why not tidy up, or have town management offer this service for a fee? Does not this view of our environment negatively color our perception of the world? 3. If each of us took care of our allotted space on this planet by making an attempt to beautify it, wouldn't the world take on a better appearance little by little? Ralph Waldo Emerson states that the "Earth laughs in flowers." Gandhi says "Be the change that you want to see in the world." "Each one teach one" is a good way to begin. It doesn't take much creative imagination to shove a spade into the earth and plant some seeds. But it does take the Creator to manifest the outpouring of new life. Are you ready to be a harbinger of spring and beauty? Plant for today, bloom for tomorrow, and decide right now to make a positive statement for improvement, not perfection, in the here and now. |
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