Although we cannot heal the Earth…

Until recently, there was no way either to address the sorrow we feel when a place or an animal or plant species is hurt or lost—and certainly no way to soothe that hurt or offer condolence and comfort.

With the Global Earth Exchange Radical Joy for Hard Times has changed that unfortunate situation. Since 2010 people all over the world have gone to wounded places on the same day in June, remembered what those special places meant and still mean to them, and made a simple gift of beauty for them. These very meaningful gatherings have taken place on all seven continents, in 39 countries, and in 40 U.S. states. We call this reconnection of people and loved places the Global Earth Exchange, because it is an exchange of gifts. The places in our lives have given so much to us, after all. On this day we give something back to them.

We’re calling this year’s event on June 12 Global Earth (Gift) Exchange. When you go to your wounded place, bring an object that represents your own challenges over the past difficult time of the pandemic. After spending some time at your place, sharing stories and getting to know the place as it is now, make a gift of beauty using materials the place itself offers (twigs, stones, flowers, even trash). Build your own object into this gift. Let the Earth take your sorrow and stress and recycle it into something new, fresh, and fertile. When you take your personal object away with you, you’ll have given to your place and received it as well..