The purpose of Radical Joy for Hard Times is to come more closely into relationship with the places we love that have been damaged or destroyed and to give them beauty, both in gratitude for how they have nourished the Earth and in consolation for what they can give no more. Places are inextricably woven into the fabric of our lives. In an essay in the anthology The Biophilia Hypothesis, Stephen Kellert identifies nine categories of benefit to humans, including a close relationship with nature, including utilitarian (nature as a source of food, medicine, clothing, tools, etc.); naturalistic (the emotional satisfaction of being in contact with nature, the curiosity and urge to explore the familiar but unknown); and what he calls moralistic but could also be called spiritual (“strong feelings of affinity, ethical responsibility, and even reverence for the natural world”).

With such deep and interconnected ties to the places and beings of our planet near and far, the least we can do is offer something back to them when they are under duress. This attitude is not anthropomorphism but simply recognition of the inherent beauty and dignity of the natural world and its profound influence on our lives.

Even in the contemporary western world, we know how to reach out and express grief and gratitude to those who have died. When 49 Muslim worshippers were killed at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019, people lay flowers outside mosques around the world. When a young boy was killed by a car in northeastern Pennsylvania, neighbors and schoolmates visited the scene of the accident and left flowers, a Christian cross, and Teddy bears there.

We can adapt this inclination to honor that which lived and thrived and is no more by turning our attention to places that have been robbed of their vitality. Whether it is a piñon tree dying of drought and beetles, the Colorado River shrinking year by year, or a gas fracking site in your community—we can honor these places, express our love, gratitude, and grief… and leave a little beauty behind.