A Double-Edged Sword

April: On NatureApril 25Today's reflection was inspired by a quote from Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Tombs of Atuan.We speak often of nature’s serenity and tranquility—it’s ability to heal and comfort. But its darker side—its duality—should be no surprise, for we humans have inherited both edges of this sword. The capacity for love and kindness, and for hostility and indifference. The ability to wage war, throwing lives away as fodder, and then care for the orphans and hope and pray they never will have to live through another like it.We learned from nature, we exist within nature—so some may say, then why should we be any different? The answer is simply because we can. The answer lies in our power to choose. We must never forget where we came from, but we also must never squander our gift of agency and turn a blind eye to where we can go.Reflection title: A Double-Edged SwordCreative inspiration: Ursula K. Le Guin, The Tombs of AtuanReflection Question: Am I squandering my gift of agency? Or am I actively cultivating it and learning to make the world around me a better place?