Jenny's comment about what's happening to our soil got me to thinking about what Thomas Berry, noted geologian who passed away in June 2009, once said: "The Universe is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects." Treating the soil, or trees, or living creatures as objects allows us to continue to destroy beings and habitat. This, in turn, got me to thinking about our ENTS group. When I read Jenny's postings it's clear that she sees each bird as an individual being - a subject, not object. When Bob first took me into old growth forests, over time and repeated visits the groves gave way to individuals who over the 15 or so years have become old friends to me. On occasion, when I measure a tree, I do so with reverence. It's an encounter with another being that can bring a sense of wonder and joy. Not unlike measuring how much my grandchild has grown.
>From the beginning, Bob has always hoped that ENTS would be a celebration of the Standing One's through science, history, poetry, music and dance. In these times of increasing devastation of the natural world by our species, I would love to see us explore how we can broaden our circle to the younger generation. I'd appreciate others thoughts on this. John
