May 27: 🕊️ The Day The Birds Died
How one woman's resilience saved us all.
The Spiritual Almanac is a weekly, free email publication based on the calendar that explores spiritual practices and mindfulness for modern living.
May 27: Rachel Carson Birth Anniversary
Mother of Environmentalism
One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself,
“What if I had never seen this before?
What if I knew I would never see it again?”
— Rachel Carson
The next time you lie between the thin veils of unconsciousness, when your eyes are closed, and your body wrestles with wakefulness, you may hear a single small chirp outside your window, inspiring you to greet the morning.
Soon the chirps form a mellifluous melody whirling into an avian musical complete with a “cheer-up, cheerily, cheerily, cheerio” chorus.
Your resident Robin is announcing another beautiful sunrise, preparing you for a wonderful and promising day.
But not all mornings were so sweet because not so long ago, in a darker time, some sunrises were met with silence. Backyard bird feeders lay abandoned of snackers, mornings devoid of feathery song.
Dismayed nature lovers found dead birds littering their yards, horrified to learn their friends had been poisoned with government-approved DDT spray to control insects.
No one was more troubled than one determined woman who decided to change this destructive practice. Every moment of her previous life prepared her for this critical mission, which she accepted with gracious fury.
Our Savior, Rachel Carson
Carson is responsible for not only saving the birds from harmful chemicals but also creating the catalyst for the Environmental Protection Agency.
As a biologist with the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, Rachel Carson had written several nature books when she began focusing on environmental problems caused by DDT spraying, particularly in residential and environmentally sensitive areas, such as Long Island Sound.
Her groundbreaking book, Silent Spring, published in 1962, became a best-seller, alerting Americans to the harmful effects of reckless pesticide policies.
She wrote: "Man's attitude toward nature is today critically important simply because we have now acquired a fateful power to alter and destroy nature. But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself…"
The chemical industry viciously attacked her.
One prominent DDT producer accused her of — wait for it — "a fanatic defender of the balance of nature."
And he was right. Carson was our fearless defender, raising her fist against reckless chemical tyranny that was killing our birds and destroying our health.
Congress agreed, and despite the chemical companies' malicious slander, the government banned DDT and other harmful chemicals in 1972.
We Are All Connected
Rachel Carson awakened us to our connectedness, and when we raise a sword against nature, we raise a sword against ourselves.
Alan Watts said in one of his lectures," Most people have a separate feeling from their surroundings, other people, the Earth, planets, and stars. People that live a Zen life realize everything is connected. Without the flowers, there would be no insects. Without the insects, there would be no flowers."
The Solar System formed every drink of water you consumed some 4.5 billion years ago—older than Earth.
According to theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss, the molecules we breathe are redistributed evenly in our atmosphere within several centuries. When you inhale, you connect with at least one molecule of oxygen from each person who has ever lived, connecting with all of humanity, past and present.
When you tap into the interconnectedness of all things, the beauty of a sunset or a tree can move you. You possess a profound love and appreciation for the world and your role in it, with a deep connection to animals, plants, and even rocks.
Aware of surrounding energy, you connect with and understand the life force of all things. Patterns emerge you never noticed, yet they are always there: the interconnectedness of life weaved together, pulsating, breathing as one.
When waiting, whether at a doctor's office, grocery store line, or in traffic, instead of distracting yourself, be still and take notice of the surroundings. See the colors, patterns, sounds—everything appearing independently in consciousness, including your breathing.
I once watched a sunbeam in a waiting room etch across the carpet, the dust motes dancing like tiny fairies. Peace enveloped the room. The occupants, sounds, and temperature were all part of an ephemeral moment merging as one entity. When my name was called, I stood encased in light, a love radiating from my heart, a connection with the infinite.
Try This
Be mindful when using chemicals. Everything has a purpose and is connected to something, no matter how it is perceived as a minuscule place in the world. Without the bee, we have no honey. Without the insect, we have no birds. Without the birds, we have no joy.
Appreciate the sweet chirps you hear outside your morning window, and thank Rachel Carson for her foresight and exhaustive work in allowing us to enjoy the voices that bless our hearts and world.
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And please share your thoughts about this writing. I would love to connect with you!
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” —Rachel Carson
Happy Birds by Mary Tase
The Spiritual Almanac is a weekly, free email publication based on the calendar that explores spiritual practices and mindfulness for modern living.
Loved this week’s article…..and the pure positive energy! Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Gratitude to Rachel for her courage and to you for this excellent article 🙏🏻