In the words of Erich Fromm, “Giving is the highest expression of potency. In the very act of giving, I experience my strength, my wealth, my power. This experience of heightened vitality and potency fills me with joy. I experience myself as overflowing, spending, alive, hence, as joyous.”

Through meditative techniques, we can see our thoughts for what they are. Spontaneous interruptions to our flow of energy that we can choose to watch pass by or stop and worry over. Ultimately, we can choose to use the energy of our minds to create what we need, and even unwanted worries can work for us to create what we need.

Ocean currents move pollutants into sensitive areas in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, and even Florida. Also, as we deplete an area’s resources, there are political consequences. Carelessness has disastrous results. Consequently, we need to manage our resources carefully. On a more minute level, we have to pay claims to those who’ve lost their lives in backyards where we’ve tossed our refuse and which undermines the infrastructure of our society. We need to limit our use of oil.

Early mornings I walk, and as I walk, I think. As I think, I breathe. I look at my feet as they hit the ground and see rocks of varying colors, sizes, and shapes. I am careful to step over large boulders, and I walk carefully over soft sand. As I listen to the sound of my hiking boots hitting the ground, I find my mind wandering. Thoughts come and go, demanding to be heard. I struggle against them as I hear the sound of birds interrupting the constant drone of ideas coming in and fading out.