Earth Day 2011: A Letter to My Old Friend

Dear Earth,

Its been a while since I last wrote to you, or...did I ever write to you at all? There's been so much going on and I just have a lot to tell you!

Do you remember the times you and I had spent together? Oh those were such wonderful times....I had my tiny feet on your lush green surface and the way your soft grass caressed my toes every time I stepped out of my shoes. I loved your soothing velvety dirt under my feet and the realization of your powerful grip which had helped me in my first steps upon your surface until it became a habit to run out of my home in your open arms every day!

Together we would explore such wonders each day, The green crickets! can you believe that, I was amazed when I first discovered those invisible insects, and those beautiful beautiful birds and their songs, I would always run around squirrels to catch them, make swings in trees but end up falling, laughing, running, sitting and lying on you because I knew you were always there to hold me, to support me and to make me realize that no matter when, what and where I had a friend in you.

So much have happened from that time on, a lot have changed. The open field that we used to play on have now become home to 30 families, more even coming this year, the swing and the tree itself have vanished and there is now a shopping mall..well these are just a few things that should not bother you, because there are bigger things that have happened, factories, mills, huge companies have taken over you, people are at war upon your green lands to transform them into shopping plazas, climates have changed, heat have become fierce and winter have become shrill and your old friend spring barely comes to visit....

People now don't talk about squirrels, birds or those green crickets any more...even...I, don't talk about these things either ...now everyone is busy talking about their own selves, their futures and their destinations but strangely enough we all seem to have forgotten the single main thing that everyone's future is linked to your future, because they or I would exist if you do, and to tell you the truth my dear earth, I want you to exist, to be what you were and to feel you in your fullest.

Just yesterday I came back from visiting Nepal, when airplane took off from the country I was simply fascinated by what a beautiful mountain range there was, the beautiful Himalayas with their shiny ice tips, yes I do know that there are mountains in my homeland of Balochistan as well but those are differently beautiful with bare surfaces, I have seen mountain of Boulder in Colorado and have seen them lush green! what a difference there is in each thing that you own, from the beautiful rivers that flow upon you to the vast seas and those gigantic mountains to barren lands and deserts, the forests and those meadows, the animals, the insects....and so much more that it might take me days and days of writing!

I am amazed that its been such a long time since I ever realized what a wonderful place we are living upon! Actually I and every single living thing are so lucky to have you, because if it wasn't for you we might not exist, thank you for providing us the love that we all need, I just wish that we humans are capable of providing you the same love that you offer.

You know I am just so glad I decided to write to you today, it reminded me so much that I had long forgotten, in fact it reminded me of my own self, of how small I am in front of your mighty magnificence and still am causing you harm...but it also reminded me that no matter how small I am, I can actually contribute towards making you as young and beautiful as you were because the child within me still exists and once I see that you are green again, I would make sure I make a swings again in the nearby tree and would sing again to myself the last song that I used to sing.

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom, for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

Sending you unending love and cherished memories,

Your Child