I often feel in awe, of your utter complex beauty and chaos. A rippling ecosystem so vast, and so multidimensional, we as humans, struggle still to grasp how contradictory you are. (So much like a woman).

The simple feel of warm sun on a cheek, of cool wind easing sweat, or of fresh water quenching deep thirst, is reminder enough of how precious you are, and how much we truly need you. The health of our lives so dependent on your own health. Our first Mother.

Learning to cherish you, even in the harshest of climates, is a gift in these times. Many have lost the lessons, lost the stories, forgotten how interconnected we are. But there are many who remember, and many who are remembering. The fragrance of your flowers, the crisp and delicious bite into the freshest vegetable or fruit, all bursting with life, of promise.

We are your stewards, your worshippers. We are here to protect the species that need the extra care, the bird failing in the city noise, the fish drowing in chemicals, the buffalo struggling for food in a barren parcel of land. Guardians are moving in waves, connecting hands and calling for the protection of your vast peaks and deepest caves.

In you, I come home each time. As I lay on the grass and watch the sky move, feeling the vibration from deep within the soil. In you, I am reborn, as the water cleanses the fog and harm. In you, I am soothed, as the smell and sight of mountian air and rising trees connect me to my first self, the innocent child that loved you with a starchild passion.

Thank you dear Mother, Gaia, Pachamana. And many other loving names from indigenous cultures around the world, you are known and honored through. This is my love letter to you.