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| Lunar Orbiter 1's view of earth from Moon orbit. 1966. |
Pride usually carries a negative connotation. We say things like, "don't let your pride get the better of you" or "you're too proud to admit you're wrong." In these instances, pride is a detriment because it imbues people with a sense of righteousness even when they're not right. Or it fills people with a false sense of courage or bravado (and stubbornness) , so much so, that they're unwilling to admit that a wrong, error, or mistake has been committed. But sometimes pride can be a good thing.
We hear things like, "take pride in what you do" and "take pride in your work" and, of course, "I'm a proud parent." So why is this pride any better than the aforementioned pride? Because it is the driving force in what I call a "positive movement." When one takes pride in what they do, be it work or parenting, every effort is made to make sure things are done right and in the spirit of betterment.
I'm a fan of woodworking. I'm in awe of someone who has built a piece of furniture, from scratch, and it's an object that will last and perform its duty for many, many years. But that endurance comes from something that was built in the right way. Done in the right manner. Approached with the right attitude and done with the right technique. Very seldom do you hear of the enduring properties of something that was done haphazardly, or even, incorrectly. When done in the "proper" manner, I believe it's done with pride.
It is in this spirit that I write Proud Earthling. I believe that as inhabitants of this beautiful, unique place we call Earth, we have, indeed, something to be extremely proud of. I'm talking in it's simplest terms... pride in the fact that we are unique beings on a beautiful planet in this vast universe. We're all one big family. And I don't mean just humans. All species... bird, mammal, reptile, insect, plant, microbe, etc. And, as the typical family setting, I can't forget about our "home." Our beautiful planet, Earth. Regardless of how we came about, regardless of the reason or the purpose, we are all here. Now.
We are, however, a troubled family.
I don't pretend to know the answers. But I have some words of advice. I believe that with a little common sense and a bit of willingness we can achieve a little bit of change. And hopefully, it's a change for the better. Consider these, simply, as my 2 cents.
