Gratitude for Arbor Day

This week is Earth Week. We did not want to short change our gratitude for trees with Arbor Day April 24, so we will celebrate trees this week.

Ordination of Trees is a small movement within some monasteries of monks who live in areas where forests are threatened. Monks are sacred and to be honored and not killed. Monks began ordaining trees in Thailand and Cambodia as a way to protect them and honor their life.

Trees are vital to clean air. We are conscious of so many suffering from the virus who are not able to breathe and climate change and air. Without trees we would not have clean air. Let us thank and honor trees this week alone, in our family, household and with children.

1. Take a walk in your neighborhood or yard and find a tree to thank.

2. If the tree is in your yard bring a piece of cloth that you can tie around the tree (loosely so it does not strangle). If y ou are walking in your neighborhood hug the tree in ordination with your arms.

3. Pray a prayer of gratitude and protection for the tree and for workers on the front line who are tenacious, rooted and self giving like trees.

4. If you have the desire and means plant a tree, or offer to plant a tree in Africa through Interfaith Power and Light’s Carbon Covenant.

5. NM IPL is part of an Interfaith Tree Planting project with the Sikh, Jewish, Muslim and Christian faiths to plant a total of 1,000 trees. Individual trees you plant can be counted. If you have planted trees in your yard or at you r house of worship send information of how many trees, and where to carlos@nm-ipl.org so we can keep count. Collective tree planting will take place in the fall.