I stand under the shadow of a huge beautiful tree. A girl is standing next to me. We are talking. She asks me a lot of questions. At the same time, I observe what surrounds us. I almost feel this majestic tree behind me as if I am somehow a part of it, I listen the sound of leaves moved by a gentle wind. I watch birds in the distance circling down, making a sharp move, snorkeling to water and flying back up. I smell the salty air of a seashore. I wonder how it might happen that this tree stands right here, on the shore? Why am I staying here? Who is the girl asking me questions? There is something magical about this place. The girl turns her head towards me and asks: "Mom, have the Earth been always so wonderful?”. I stop for a second trying to find the answer… The next minute I hear the roaring noise. I start to hear it even better. I rub my eyes to realize that this is the sound of the airplane engine, that I am sitting on a plane and the beautiful scenery was just a dream. I feel sad not only because I was pulled out of this beautiful scene but also because I was not able to answer the question. Being awake I continue to think what would be my answer if I had a chance to give one? Lost in my thoughts I hear the voice that seems to sound from a distance. The voice says that we are about to land. My body sits there with the rest of the passengers preparing to land, but my mind flies away. It gets back to the girl’s question over and over again.
.
We landed in Malaysia and I am sitting in a car taking me to the residence complex I would stay. The same landscape flashes in front of my eyes for several minutes - I see endless plantations of palm trees. I read they have a lot of them here, but I just simply did not think that they are so HUGE!! I look at various parts of the road with increasing anxiety. Here a flat wasteland where multiple machines working, leveling the land for future plantations. Here I see the wood piles what once I think was a tropical forest. I see how workers saw wide trunks. I want to cry. “Why?” - a thought flies in my head! These trees took years, even centuries to grow! And just in a few moment, they became a pile of garbage. The garbage which is traded for a new type of forest - the one which bring the government money. The image of the girl from the dream flashes into my mind. What would I say to her in she asked that they are doing? I want to escape from this picture as far as possible yet I can’t. It seems there is no end to this palm oil plantations. I feel sad and I’m ashamed that for the sake of money (which in fact is not more than paper) we are destroying the World! The world our kids would live and who would ask us the questions.
In the complex where we stayed, there is another picture awaits me. There are no plantations, this is the world of flowers. Here they are so diverse that for a second I feel puzzled - it is if I saw a carpet made out of flowers. ”It looks like a paradise“ - the thought comes. And the next one follows - a phrase that I heard somewhere "Earth smiles in flowers". The girl's question comes from the dream: "Mom, have the Earth been always so wonderful?”. Standing here, it feels very close to the feeling of the dream. It is such a powerful feeling of Joy, a celebration of Life in different shapes and colors, here I can feel the Earth smiling. I wonder of people who put it together, who made this paradise real here and now. I think of the plantations I just saw and a smile touches my face. Somewhere deep inside there is an assurance that not all is lost in this battle - there are people in the world who share one big dream - for a World to be a place where is a balance is maintained, there are people live in the harmony between themselves and the Nature, there are no wars because there is nothing to fight for and where Earth smiles in flowers. These people ask themselves the right questions, they see beyond the existing reality and moreover they unite. And in their unity, I see HOPE.
My dream is that there will be more people like them - people who care, who goes beyond and who does little steps to make a world a better place not only for themselves but for all. Such people became small points there changes are born, they are able to spread such changes around just by putting love and care in what they do. They might do small things at a time yet they would have a profound effect. They might be different and do different things, but they have one thing in common - they are triggers of Change.,
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I've always been a dreamer. I have always believed and will believe that the better world is possible. That everything that is now is the result of past actions. Thus just by changing your actions here and now you would be changing the result in the future.
Yes, I want to cry from the fact that I see incredibly large palm trees plantations. I want to cry when walking along the ocean coast I stumble upon dead fish. I want to cry when in the rain I am struck by the streams of plastic floating on the road. It hurts me to see all this.
But I know one thing - the world does not change overnight and not in an hour. The world changes in small steps, one small step at a time. And it is in my power to start making these small steps every day. Moreover, it is in my power to transmit this message to other people and then maybe the Earth will smile with flowers everywhere.
It is in my power to make small efforts to ensure that beautiful birds fly in the sky, beautiful live fish float in the water. It is in my power to do small steps so there will be the diversity of animals, plants in the rainforests, in the oceans, in North pole and Africa.
It is in my power to make efforts to help protect the existing spices to continue to live on our beautiful planet. As they form part of diversity, part of the beauty we yet have and can lose if we do not care. I know, that some disappeared in the past. I know that some of these losses weren’t human fault. Yet, now we created the state where they are in danger because of our actions. I would love that future generation would still be able to see them alive not just by looking at their pictures and wondering if this is how they looked or wondering how they smelled?
And it is in my power to find those who share the same message, those who, like myself, were born a dreamer and believe that everything can be changed!
Some may call me “A dreamer” but I'm not the only one…
(c) John Lennon
All my life I was surrounded by amazing people - those who shared the same vision of the world and life philosophy. However, joining Steemit was a turning point for me. Looking back I think that probably it was one of those small, but changing your life steps. The paradigm of “small actions changing the world” in its essence. Here I found not just dreamers, but people who change the world every day. I am honored to witness this beautiful process and would really love to highlight some of the most remarkable writes here for me personally.
#Eco-train - All of you are fantastic, each and every on your own. I can’t thank Universe for such a blessing to share my journey here with you and getting your constant support! Each of you truly makes a world a better place and it is my honor to witness it through your post and get your content support.
@eco-alex - from the first time I heard about #eco-train I can’t stop being amazed on your contribution to making this world a better place. There is so much wisdom you share with us.Whether it is building of earth-ships or food recipes, I often find myself in complete resonance with what you do. But my biggest “thank you” is for bringing all of us @ecotrain together!
@ecoinstant - I think of you each time I plant a new tree. The simple thought that there are people out there like you makes me smile and think that there is hope to have enough oxygen to breath in the future%)
@gardenbsquared- I did not know of Suriname, I did not know much of the birds but thanks to you my dear soul, I was able to discover not only these things but a new way to live with this knowledge! Apart I enjoy every single of your photos on birds, lizards, spiders and anyone who spot in the lights%))
@mountainjewel - we just met but it seems I know you for ages. I share much of all you write about and moreover, I absolutely love your initiative @the-hearth - to help get attention to earth-centered posts!
@sharoonyasir- my dear one. I think changing people souls is one to the hardest task yet you have a gift to get right into it through your writings, helping to get to the point where answers reveal themselves.
@trucklife-family - I believe women wisdom can change a lot in this world. I am always thrilled to read about its different dimensions in your posts whether it is a natural birth, women rights or your life stories how to raise your children in happiness.
@everlove - my dear one, who I met almost the first day I joined Steemit. For me you represent wise, creative woman I have always wanted to be. I learn a lot through your posts and think you are a creative jewel yourself speaking to us through your majestic photos. The other gift from you is giving us a chance to use our own creative forces organizing CollaborativeArt weeks.
All of the fantastic artists here on Steemit and out there who make such a beautiful art that make people think!
I hope that thanks to all of you and many others who already exist and will come to this platform, the theme of prosperity on the planet will sound often, attracting the attention of more and more people. And I hope that one day I will spend the day with my future children standing under the big tree, looking into the bright future which we all took part to create.
I support @ecotrain project, which also use #ecotrain. I want to believe that more and more people will start to think about things that help to make the world a better place. (с)@ecotrain. I also hope that more and more writers on Steemit will support the movement started by @eco-alex and @icmultitudes . As I truly believe that we are one and helping others means you are helping yourself.
The @ecoTrain Magazine: Highlights of this week posts from our amazing passengers
Image and words (c)@eco-alex
Curation for Earth-Centered Content @the-hearth | Week 2
Image and words (c)@the-heart