Prairie dog lives threatened by building another mall.

Wolf lives threatened by removing them from the endangered list.

Spotted owl lives threatened by yet another clear cut.

Salmon lives threatened by yet another dam.

Whale lives threatened by yet another deep sea sonic boom.

Bear lives threatened by yet another pipe line intrusion through their wildnerness home.

Bee lives threatened by yet another pesticide.

Human lives threatened by yet more polluted air, polluted water, polluted food.

Human lives diminished by yet more uniformity, climate controlled habitats, windowless rooms.

Human lives devalued by money, economic disparity, persecution, displacement of habitat.

Human lives diminished by the illusion of needing safety…control… sterility…quick fixes.

Human lives detoured by institutionalized needs for speed, efficiency and greater yields..

Have we forgotten what makes us humans feel alive?

How animated we become when we sing and dance together. . .How entranced we are by the birth of a baby… How moved we are by the sacred process of dying. . . How falling in love makes us want to live. . .How creating something engages us with living in the moment. . .how creating something reveals the depth and expansiveness of the mystery within… How intimate conversation can inspire for days… How we breathe deeper and more easily when we sleep when we’re tired, eat when we’re hungry, drink when we’re thirsty, spend time outside, and exert ourselves physically … How eye contact with the other moves our souls…How a glorious sunset can trigger tears, the aurora borealis pulls awe from our throats…How making meaning means everything…How helping another connects us. . .

Just asking: have we forgotten what makes us human?