I am writing this in response to a common attitude found in circles of environmentalist thinkers. The term “invasive” is often applied to anything not thought of as “indigenous”. I want to remind those who go on tirades about “non-native plants and animals taking over native populations” that there is not a life form on this planet that has not migrated to a better niche, either under its own steam or on the back of some vector at some time or another. Earth’s history is rich with stories of successes and failures of life’s constant efforts to live long and prosper, and our species is no exception. We have invaded nearly every corner of the planet in order to pursue our preferred lifestyle, conquering anything in our path that may threaten us, generally unaware of the bigger picture and our part in it. We are judging other species for an action that we are, ourselves, guilty of.

Whether we know it our not, we are a part of Nature and our steps in her dance are no more important than any other’s, whether it be microbial or cetacean. She wants us all to succeed, and judges nothing as “unfair” in her encouragement. Sometimes the dinosaurs are the winners and take over, and sometimes it’s the humans. Everybody gets a turn, and, depending on how well they co-operate with others, and maybe on how lucky they are with comet collisions and other such cataclysms, they enter the dance and strut their stuff.

We, as members of the Earthling Club, have no right to judge others as worthy of participation or not. We can only judge ourselves whether or not we are doing it right. We invented the word “morality” for this very purpose. It is only helpful to us, and totally foreign to the rest of creation; an “opportunistic” species does not concern itself with whether or not its proliferation is “good or bad”.

If Nature designs a species that is a real go-getter, She encourages it with opportunities galore to go for the Good Life: “Scotch Broom, good for you! Your seeds are so delicious to the ground dwelling birds, they scatter them everywhere! Your flowers are so sweet to the bees! Here, try this place, there’s lots of room here! Bullfrogs, you’re big and strong, far more suited to survive a rising global temperature than those little frogs that did so well in the past, you just go into that water, way up there, and make lots of tadpoles! I say: Life is Good. Always has been on My planet. And it is always changing, accommodating itself to My ever-changing environment. Sometimes hot and wet, like a big jungle, sometimes nothing but ice. Here it is. Go for it, and Good Luck!”

People need to become humble for Earth Day. Get down and look at that tiny little violet flower amongst the undergrowth, and say a prayer in gratitude for the tiny miracles of life. Go up to the top of the mountain and gaze at the grandeur and note how small we are. Be quiet. Let it be. Leave it alone…

Beavers manage themselves. Bees, too. Blue Grouse and Sarcomastigophorans. If we could just take care of our own niche as well as they, we would not have to worry about things like who is indigenous and who isn’t. We are all a part of this finite world and we’d best start treasuring the good life here.

HAPPY EARTH DAY