Mother Earth [reflection] [Tongan translation]

I was walking along the beach

one winter day. Looking down,

I saw a wave push a feather up on

the sand. It was a sea gull feather

stained with oil. I picked it up and

felt the dark slick film on my fingers.

I couldn't help wondering if the bird

had survived. Was it all right out

there? ...I knew it wasn't.

I felt sad to think how carlessly

we treat our home. The earth we

all share is not just a rock tossed

through space but a living,

nurturing being.

She cares for us; she deserves our

care in return. We've been treating

Mother Earth the way some people

treat a rental apartment. Just trash

it and move on.

But there's no place to move on

now. We have bought our garbage

and our wars and our racism to every

part of the world.

We must begin to clean her up,

and that means cleaning up our own

hearts and minds first, because they

lead us to poison our dear plant.

The sooner we change, the easier it

will be to feel our love for Mother

Earth and the love she so freely

gives back to us.