Over the past month there have been at least a few moments when time has seemed to stand perfectly still. We’ve had to ask ourselves what day it is and then when we learn the answer, sometimes the response is “so what?” Maybe we’re not telling time by the position of the sun but we are getting a new sense of time as well as a new sense of place. We are spending a lot of time nesting inside, but many of us recharge by being out in nature. Are those birds that I hear chirping outside? The birds ARE chirping and the leaves ARE coming in. Even as things may be moving more slowly these days, they are still moving. The birds are chirping and the leaves are coming in. We’re learning how to do things we haven’t always been accustomed to doing—baking bread, fashioning masks out of bandannas, having Zoom meetings and happy hours, and who knows what else. Many of us take solace in a nice walk through the neighborhood or a nearby park where we can see that not only are we changing but so is the landscape.

This week is Earth Week and a great reminder to appreciate the world around us and to be inspired to make it a better place for ourselves and future generations. The pandemic has had an unintended but positive effect on the environment. I always like to find a silver lining in different situations and in this case, I’m hoping that this silver lining isn’t as fleeting as the clouds. Happy Earth Week—an excellent time to celebrate your connection with nature and the environment.

Stay safe and healthy,

Tracy Jacobs