This is the Opal Pool at Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park. It looks beautiful, but it is very dangerous. Yellowstone was made from and still is, an active volcano. The Earth is angry there, she is vaporizing water, boiling mud, spewing sulfur. She is seething, simmering, hissing, waiting. Do not take her for granted, do not waste her resources with things you do not need, do not squander your privileged time on her surface with thoughts you do not need: petty fears, envy, narcissistic self doubt insecurity you try to mask with manipulative lie and insidious calumny. She deserves better than that. You deserve better than that. And you know what? So do I.
I have a shirt with a feather on it that I wear for special original fiction writing events, like when I recite at readings or special meet ups with author friends. It was from a fundraiser to save children from abuse, a cause for which I care, a cause for which I 'write the book' and it contains the words, "It's not okay."
They are simple words, but they are true.
It's not okay.
It's not okay to take the earth for granted. It's not okay to lie. It's not okay to manipulate people into helping you believe the lies you tell yourself. It's not okay to not treat what you love with respect.
What if we respected the earth as much as we admired her beauty?
What if we respected ourselves enough to use the Grace we have been given?
I saw a lot of things on this trip and not all of them were beautiful.
"I'm going back to New York City, I do believe I've had enough." - Bob Dylan.
