An Ode to the Mother Earth

This Mothers Day, we have so many different types of Moms to celebrate. Below is a poem written by Outdoor Prolink contributor Meg Atteberry for our most giving mother, Mother Earth. Take a big breath, relax, and enjoy.

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For the Love of Suffering

Oh mighty Mother Earth, how you humble us. Your magic and beauty manage to get us up well before dawn, headlamp in tow. We head out into your vast beautiful wilderness with nothing but the light of the moon to guide us.

We spend hours bushwhacking, hiking up steep hills, navigating in the dark, freezing on the water, sitting in the rain, enduring the scorching heat. Blisters, cuts, bruises, bumps, lumps, and oh-god-I-didn’t-know-I-could-be-sore-there just to reach every corner of your beauty.

We hoof up mountains, navigate torrent rivers, swim for miles, scale precarious cliffs to reach our favorite perch.

Days on end without bathing, pooping in bags, eating (yet another) packet of tuna, all in the name of spending time cuddling with you.

We leave our cozy beds in favor of sleeping in the dirt. We tape our bodies together to keep moving into your most serene spaces. 

And we would trade anything to suffer all over again for your amazing beauty.

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Pondering the Ancients

We know that our ultra-light, rip-stop nylon, fancy rubber footwear, unbelievably durable rafts, and fancy tech to get us to your secret hideaways is cheating.

As we roam the deserts, jungles, plains, and beaches we come across relics of civilizations past. Peoples who were connected to the land in ways we could only dream about.

The original free soloist, etching their story high on the cliffs of the American Southwest. Great ancient architects didn’t need mechanized vehicles to move impossibly heavy rocks to build a home. 

When we visit your most tranquil places, we ponder and recognize the people of years past. The people who worked with the Earth. We know society won’t move away from their electricity and technology, but when we choose to step away from the comforts of modern life, we reconnect with your truest self, dear Mother Earth.

Living in the Moment

There is nothing quite like your displays of color Mother Earth. From the moment the sun awakens on the horizon to the last bit of light. The black ink skies, untainted by the lights of humanity. We live to breathe it all in.

Breathtaking sunrises and technicolor sunsets make us feel loved. We go to great lengths to be enveloped in your energy. From the tops of the highest peaks to the bottom of the deepest canyons, we seek space to enjoy the daily twirl around the galaxy. Each time we watch the day turn into the night we ponder just how small we really are.

Beauty Around the World

Our backyards are precious, but the world at large beckons. Dearest Earth, your diversity, beauty, and trans-continental connectivity draws us to every corner of the globe. The Sahara Sands make their way to the depths of the Amazon. Volcanic ash from the Arctic Circle fertilized the Great Plains. Ocean currents carry nutrients and wildlife from one hemisphere to the next.

We are all connected to you Earth, and we rely on the delicate balance to survive. We visit places we never knew existed, in lands of different tongues. As a people, we are united by the life-giving relationships and resources you bestow upon us. The great savannas of Africa wow us with massive wildlife migrations. The mighty Himalaya defy gravity with their piercing peaks. The depths of the Amazon River carry us through a jungle that’s bursting with life. Wherever we are on your mighty lands, we are continually wowed by your impressive, complex beauty.

Our Promise

We promise to do better Mother Earth. Things may seem impossible, but we realize that change starts with a single human. This Earth Day, we honor you by picking up trash, contemplating our footprint, finding ways to use less, do more, and be present. One step at a time we can clean up your oceans, restore your delicate landscapes, and create a more sustainable future for everyone. It all starts with a single pledge from a single person. 

In our Ode to Mother Earth, we vow to always treat the places we love with respect. Always tread lightly, leave it better than we found it, and pass on the good word of stewardship to others. Together we will care for you, love you, and cherish you until our bones turn back to dust.