Does Earth Day really mean anything to the 7,5 billion people who crowd this planet? – asks Bhagawati.
Over the years, various societies and organizations on this planet have declared certain days as being ‘Special Days’ to be religiously observed and celebrated worldwide. They are also known more officially as international dedication or international anniversary, each one of them signifying a period of time (viz one day) to observe some issue of international interest or concern.
April 22 has been elevated to International Mother Earth Day. All in all, there are 19 (!) special days just in April alone. Mother Earth Day also coincides with ‘English Language Day’ and there are other days this month you probably have never heard of (except for April Fools’ Day…) – such as the World Day for Laboratory Animals, World Intellectual Property Day and the International Day for Monuments and Sites.
Of course, rather often merely lip service is being paid on such days, by political creatures in particular who are known to make promises and loudly announce so-called positive measures to combat and solve problematic situations. The idea behind their sudden involvement once a year is that boasting the implementation of positive change will enhance their political ego and stance. Usually the very next day (or next minute) all is forgotten and shelved for another public opportunity.
Although there are many sincere groups of people and NGO’s who do their best to raise public interest and involvement in the many dire ailments our planet suffers from, it can never be sufficient because of the unmoving frozen hierarchy of the ‘leaders’ who simply do not care and have only their vested interests in sight.
A lot of people are needed to wake up to the fact that there is a world right outside their social media blinders, and that they could start with positive actions where they are right now. Every person on this planet is a potential solution for the crisis Earth is facing. For example, how many people are oblivious about what happens with the plastic wrappings they discard haphazardly? Are they aware where they end up and what harm they unleash? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg with regard to worldwide garbage pollution the planet is suffocating in.
Reports about the state of our planet have been dramatically increasing and every day one finds just another ‘abnormality’ about the weather and related catastrophic events. Global warming, climate change, greenhouse gases, thinning of the atmosphere, pollution of the oceans, deforestation and other catchphrases have been used for years to describe what essentially are the results of mankind’s overpopulation and reckless exploitation in the last 70 years of our planet’s resources – with rarely a thought about sustainment and protection. With rarely a feeling of gratefulness for nature’s abundance. With rarely a sense about the sacredness, beauty and oneness of life.
Life is something impossible. It should not be but it is. It is a miracle that we are, that trees are, that birds are. It is really a miracle, because the whole universe is dead. Millions and millions of stars and millions and millions of solar systems are dead. Only on this small planet earth, which is nothing – if you think of its proportion it is just a particle of dust — life has happened on it. This is the most fortunate place in the whole of existence. Birds are singing, trees are growing, blooming, people are there, loving, singing, dancing. Something just unbelievable has happened.
To become aware of it, to welcome it, to rejoice in it, is sannyas. To trust it is sannyas. To go with it with no idea where it is leading is sannyas. To be surrendered to it is sannyas.
Osho, Snap Your Fingers, Slap Your Face and Wake Up!, Ch 3 (excerpt)
Osho brought all those issues to our attention. His tireless compassionate efforts to wake up as many people as possible from their sleepy and robotlike existence have begun to bear fruit. His clarion call has been heard by a multitude of people whose lives made a quantum leap and they, in turn, share consciousness, awareness, love and insight with even more people. The New Wo/Man is in the making and maybe there will be enough of us to turn the destructive tide. To do that, we must ‘innerstand’ that every day is an Earth day and live that ‘knowing’ with totality.
Bhagawati is a regular contributor
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