To be of the Earth is to know
      the restlessness of being a seed
      the darkness of being planted
      the struggle toward the light
      the pain of growth into the light
      the joy of bursting and bearing fruit
      the love being food for someone
the scattering of your seeds
the decay of the seasons
the mystery of death
and the miracle of birth.
-   John Soos

Ah to be alive
      on a mid-September morn
      fording a stream
      barefoot, pants rolled up
holding boots, pack on,
sunshine, ice in the shallows,
northern rockies.

Rustle and shimmer of icy creek waters
Stones turn underfoot, small and hard on toes
      cold nose dripping
      cinging inside
      creek music, heart music,
smell of sun on gravel.

I pledge allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the soil
      of Turtle Island
one ecosystem
in diversity
under the sun -

With joyful interpenetration for all.
-   Gary Snyder

...For yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is
only a vision,
But today well spent makes every yesterday a
dream of happiness
and every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day.
-   Sanskrit Salutation to the Dawn