Learning to love this marvellous planet...and feeling compelled to take care of it.

Our Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, clearly needs to get outside more often. Then maybe, just maybe, he would discover his "inner child" and allow himself to get to know the planet. I mean really get to know the planet.

He doesn't seem to love this "blue marble" very much - at least not enough to attend the recent United Nations climate-change summit. Could there possibly be a more important issue facing us all?

Over 100 world leaders attended...but not our Mr. Harper. 

It's a pity really. After all, he is a rather important and influential person in our country. 

If he got outside, he would explore and make discoveries. It would be good for him.

It would help him get to know the planet. That, after all, is a necessary step towards learning to love it...and then feeling compelled to care for it. 

But yes, he's very busy as our leader. There are places to go, people to see, oil pipelines to build. And then there are so many meetings, conversations to have, dinners to attend. There probably isn't much time left to get outside...or attend a UN summit on climate change.

The thing is, getting outside would probably help him re-discover his inner "child". That would surely help. After all, the important work he is certainly called to do must "age" him terribly. He does seem so "grown up". That's really very sad, but striving to be "important" can do that.

Joan, Linda, and I have been sharing some excellent adventures this past while. It's what "best pals" do best.

We travelled to the far west coast of the North American continent and then to an outer Gulf Island. We were reminded once again, we really do need to save "growing up" for much later in life, if ever. 

Spending time outside encourages one to become as a child. Children are very good at getting to know the planet. That leads to loving it...and feeling compelled to care for it.

It's such fun to regularly rediscover the little "child" within. She or he is always there...but sometimes tucked away beneath several layers of accumulated "adulthood". 

Those layers begin to build up when we become independent, take on the responsibilities of education, vocation, family, and in the process of evolving into responsible and concerned citizens. 

It's clear, the world today needs us to be informed, involved, and committed to compassionate and caring lifestyles. It's not easy.

And all too often, we forget to be playful.

It's so important.

We must never neglect or smother the inner child...for it's that inner "us" that yearns to be free, and fully alive. 

It is who we really are...before the process of adulthood begins to limit our expressions of the joy of simply being alive.

The real you and the real me is full of questions, and trust...and the need to love and be loved.

The little child within lives to explore and discover, for such are sources of true joy.

She's never afraid to fail because she's discovered that there is no shame in failure...just more discoveries. He has no need for constant planning and preparation - the child within is able to live and breathe sheer serendipity.

She knows that she is part of the web of life, and feels no need to control it. It's enough just to be part of it...and celebrate that connection.

Not surprisingly, it's Vitamin "N" (Nature) that most often awakens the child within. 

It reminds us of our connection with all that exists. We want to get to know the natural world. That's what leads to loving it. And then knowing that we must care for it.

We know we are part of it...and interdependent.

 Please Mr. Harper, do think about this...and try to spend some time outside.

You may well re-discover your inner child - like Gabby and Orion Munro.

Please. 

Let that inner being help you to get to know our shared planet...and learn to love it. And then you will feel compelled to help us to take care of it.

After all, there may not be another "blue marble" like it, anywhere else in the universe.

Thank you Mr. Harper, I know you probably won't have a chance to read this with all your meetings and commitments, but we all do look forward to seeing you out there sometime.

With best wishes, sir.