“’We’re on our own. The spirits have been good enough to let us live here and use the utilities, and we’re saying: We know how nice you’re being. We appreciate the rain, we appreciate the sun, we appreciate the deer we took. Sorry if we messed up anything. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble, and we’ll try to be good guests.’
‘Like a note you’d send somebody after you stayed in their house?’
‘Exactly like that. ‘Thanks for letting me sleep on your couch. I took some beer out of the refrigerator, and I broke a coffee cup. Sorry, I hope it wasn’t your favorite one.’”
― Barbara Kingsolver
How do you try to be a good guest on this earth?
That’s a wonderful quote. I’m going to dig into that one a little deeper. My answer to the question is this. As a youngster in Boy Scouts, I was taught to leave the campsite in better shape than what I found it in. That meant picking up litter left behind by previous campers, erasing any trace of my presence by smothering the campfire and burying the ashes, not leaving any firewood laying around, etc. I was taught to respect, revere and care for nature. That basic philosophy has carried over into my adult life and I do my best to live it on an individual daily basis. I try not to make messes or be wasteful with natural resources and I pick up after myself before I move on.
PS: Like many people, I am saddened by some of the recent issues and events surrounding Scouting, but I can’t discount the positive influence it had on me growing up. It’s where I first learned about conservation and respect for our planet Earth. I am grateful for those lessons. It has made me a better person.
Wow. Reading the original question, I thought of the same Boy Scout lesson. That philosophy has lead me to question my own actions & lifestyle–am I leaving a mess for future generations, or am I cleaning up a mess?
I recycle (like pretty much everyone in Germany) and pick up after myself and my dogs, but that’s about it. I tend to use the bus or bike instead of driving, but that’s only because I can’t drive myself. If someone in my family is willing to take me, I usually go that route. I’m not such a good guest.
How do you try to be a good guest on this earth?…
I respect The Goddess; and try to acknowledge Her in, around, and through all things in Creation; every day. Of course, I could always do better.
Namaste & Bright Blessings!
Dwayne