Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/962709
Photo: Nancy Lee inspire Dear Friends of the Flowers, My name is Mary Clare, I'm 6 years old, and I'm a small part of the Little Global Citizens who are already changing the world. Ever since I was little, I've felt such love for our trees, fl owers, birds, and all that surrounds me. I've also felt deep pain in my heart when I see shameful treatment to any animal, streams fi lled with old toys, and beaches with plastic forks and straws caught in seaweed. It hurts me when I see ugly rubbish on the streets, at my park, and outside my school. I just don't understand why it's there. Who would drop things this way? Don't they care? For this Mother's Day-Mother Earth month, may I share some fun ideas with the moms and grandmoms who do care? Maybe then all our future little ones will know we did what we could once we knew that our love actions for Earth could help it heal. We didn't take from the Earth, we gave to it. We worked together, and we joined in a new way! Moms, when it's our birthday, let's spend time with people we love doing joyful things like having picnics, playing lively games, music, and dancing. If we take lots of photos, we'll have gorgeous memory "gifts" forever. At our parties let's make a game of using no plastic. We can do art projects with old toys, clothes, and puzzles with missing pieces that friends bring. We can make master- pieces. Instead of "goodie-bags," our friends would love little clay pots and packets of seeds! Can we have colorful treats for our celebration like delicious, juicy fruits and veggies? We can drink fresh lemonade from glass jars, then let our friends take them home. When I go to my friend's birthday, I sometimes take a Chinese fortune cookie take-out box and pop my present in that — like a handmade card that invites my friend to go have lovely ice cream with me. Brilliant! That way we get to continue celebrating and making more memories. Most of my friends don't need any more toys anyway. For holidays like Halloween or Christmas, we can fi nd things we don't need anymore and turn them into fancy and useful costumes and gifts, like turning last year's jeans into a book bag or old t-shirts into doll clothes that are super to paint on. Costumes are easy. Old belts, socks, boxes, kitchen things, and magazines can be turned into award-winning and comfy costumes. I notice that many things come in colorful boxes and bags. Perfect for gift boxing. When we go to restaurants, we bring containers for the delicious meal we never seem to fi nish. I think of the farmers, the growers, and the nice people who cook my food. I don't want all of that work to go to waste. It's also the tastiest treat the next day. Just the right size. We ask for water with no straws or ice. Just yummy lemon. Another joyful game is seeing how many times we can reuse things. One time just doesn't feel fi tting. Perhaps take old plastic toy animals and make drawer pulls with them. You may think, "How can a 6-year-old have these thoughts or do anything big?" Well, I can't alone but there are so many around my age doing amazing things. Like #justicekiddos fi ghting world hunger, 9-year-old Molly Steer inspiring the "Straw No More" campaign or Sophie Cruz, a fi rst grader speaking at the Women's March to protect immigrants or Zach Bonner helping homeless children when he was 7 years old. What about 12-year-old Zach Hunter who started "Loose Change" to help stop slavery in other countries? We little activists are everywhere. Just listen to our voices, hear what our hearts are saying, and you'll see we're ready! Mother Earth is speaking; shall we please listen? Happy Mother Earth Day to all the fl owers, trees, animals, and sparkly waters. Happy Mother's Day to all moms, especially to my beautiful mom Nancy Lee who always guides me. Until next time, Feel breezy. Love, Mother Earth is speaking — Are we listening? By Mary Clare Mother Earth is speaking — Are we listening? THOUGHTS FROM A LITTLE GLOBAL ACTIVIST Mary Clare 12 wholelifetimes.com