A One-Way Relationship
A one-way relationship is doomed to fail. Healthy, satisfying relationships work on the principle of reciprocity. Think of your intimate relationship, family relationships, and your relationships with friends and coworkers.
Even though relationships vary, the general rule is that we get out of a relationship as much as we invest in it. Good relationships require regular care. There is remembering and celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and so on. The people closest to us expect to be acknowledged and recognized on an ongoing basis.
To summarize, in order for a relationship to be satisfying to both parties, it requires reciprocity, gratitude, and acknowledgment of each party’s contributions. Quite a balancing act we all accept because of its rewards.
The many requirements of a healthy relationship I just mentioned apply to people. Our relationships with people make our life better. So do our relationships with pets.
This episode however isn’t about love or friendship but life. Our human relationships are possible because we are alive.
What relationship keeps us alive? Our physiological needs are met by the Earth, 24/7. Strangely enough, this one relationship that makes all our functions, senses, emotions, experiences, actions, and LIVES possible is NOT reciprocal!
When it comes to people or pets, we know that we are expected to give of ourselves or lose the relationship. When it comes to the Earth, we take her for granted. It is our constant taking without consideration for her well-being that brought about climate change.
Think about it for a moment: we exploited Earth’s natural resources, polluted, contaminated, exterminated, killed, robbed, and littered. Worse, the way we live every day adds insult to injury.
If you ascribe to the values of Holistic Religion – if you are an ethical atheist or simply an ethical person – reexamine your daily habits!
Reducing meat consumption by half will lower carbon emissions, and help restore soil health and biodiversity. (All these, in addition to limiting animal cruelty!)
Conserving energy (at home and when commuting or traveling) reduces the demand for fossil fuels and lowers carbon emissions.
Family planning: give a thought to the Earth’s limited capacity to support life. Consider becoming a parent via adoption. Raise a child that’s already here…
Limiting the use of plastic to a minimum (in particular, one-time use plastic) reduces dependency on petroleum oil, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and the amount of indestructible trash that’s choking oceans.
Reducing the amount of trash. Yes, most of us separate recyclables. But did you know that the difference between soil nourishment and toxic trash (when it comes to disposing of produce peels, leftovers, etc.) is a plastic bag? Look into it!
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As adults, we know that a one-way relationship fails. We know that there is no such thing as an inexhaustible resource. We know also that abusing privileges usually ends in their suspension. Why aren’t we applying this knowledge to our relationship with the Earth?
Climate change is not a hoax. It’s the Earth’s response to a one-way relationship.
Our relationship with Earth makes life – and all our other relationships! – possible. Give it a little more thought and effort!
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