Nature is like a mirror. it remains still, but we move. it seems unchanging, yet we are constantly changing. The mirror of nature reflects our inner world, the essence of humanity, and the great, all-embracing expanse of life itself. Have you ever wondered the reason for feeling good on a wonderful day? Some reasons are the wonderful sun, the wind, the grass and trees which are completely natural, existing as they are, without any pretense or artificiality.
Only when we living things are connected to nature, engaged with nature, are we truly alive and vigorous. To really be alive, one must be under the sun, the moon, the shining stars surrounded by the beautiful greenery and pure waters of the natural world. A dirty, fouled environment is not natural. When people live in such surroundings, their hearts become polluted, too. That is the oneness of life and environment.
People cannot exist divorced from nature, and the destruction of nature is nothing but a sign of the arrogance and ignorance of humanity. Today, there is far less interest in pursuing the profound life inherent in nature. Rather much greater energy is devoted to the exploration of other subjects. Such study may be comprehensive, but when removed from the essence of life, it has little value.
All of the greatest artistic and cultural achievements of the past were born from a love of nature and from an intimate experience of it. As nature has been progressively destroyed, art has become more and more artificial. We as human beings have to realize the importance of nature in our lives. What we are doing to our nature is not only detrimental for our present generations but also our future generations will have to bear the brunt of our actions. But there is still hope.
Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a peace promoting organization has been carrying out a tree-planting program in the Amazon forest. Reforesting the Amazon is a tremendous form of art in itself. It is backbreaking, dirty work, out of the limelight. Yet the volunteers stick to it, with great patience and determination, because they believe in it. They all deserve commendations.
Our world should be one in which people like that, those committed to preserving nature, are honoured. It makes no sense giving medals and decorations to politicians just because they have been in government for a long time. Governments must be dedicated to the good of the people. It is a tragedy that the beautiful natural environment that people have cherished and protected for generations is being destroyed in the name of economic growth, political advantage and scientific progress. Because human beings have the capacity to be aware of the balance of nature, it is our duty to preserve it.
In countries with an advanced appreciation of the environment, there are many laws protecting it. In Brazil, for example, you can’t cut down a tree, even if it’s on your own property, without permission from a supervisory agency. A saying goes that planting a tree is planting life. We should all think about the full significance of that statement. We are facing an environmental crisis on a global level, and it is a fundamental problem that concerns all humanity.
