I took part in the first Earth Day, back in April 1970. Wow, that's forty years ago! A few years ago I wrote about
what happened that day, when I was a university student and went home to three young children.
Have you ever actually hugged a tree? I have had a favorite tree in every place I've ever lived, but hugging hasn't been part of my routine. One day, however, I ran out through a drizzly rain to get my mail and stood inside my garage reading a letter from a friend who had recently moved away. In her letter she asked me to hug the big tree in my yard that was her favorite tree -- and I ran through the drizzle and wrapped my arms around that tree. Her letter said she knew I would do it, and she was right. That would have been 1973, I believe.
On Earth Day in 2000 my seventh grandchild was born. I wrote about
Cady's birthday party a few years later. That was a day I spent mostly at the zoo, before attending her party.
Earth Day has usually been a very good day for me, though I don't have anything special planned to celebrate. Maybe I'll hug a tree. How will you spend the day this year?
