Stewardship Means Being Responsible

Great article on E.O. Wilson, with great plan of action. The problem is that people have forgotten their stewardship. We are all stewards of the planet. Stewardship is being charged with, or in charge of, the planet. This doesn’t mean that we are the bosses and do as we please. Rather, it means to be charged with, or perhaps a better word is entrusted with, the care and responsibility of our planet. This is all encompassing: Caring for one another and where we live. It comes to the responsibility of the adults to teach their children.

A personal experience that shows our children will do as we do. A simple thing like dropping my work glove on the sidewalk. A family group was walking by in the opposite direction and the father I’m sure saw me drop it. Instead of his saying anything to me, I realized myself I had dropped it and turned to look. Seeing him kick it and then watching his child slightly trailing do the same thing that the dad did. I watch children walking with their parents and unwrap a candy or ice cream and drop the wrapper on the ground with trash cans only feet away. Did the adult say anything? Sadly no. Just continued to walk. We are doing to the planet terrible things and yet expect our world to continue to give. Hopefully Mr. Wilson’s project and discussions will awaken in us the need to be better caretakers of the place we live. Our world needs our help before it’s too late and we are left with why didn’t we do something sooner.