What do you think Mother Earth would want to tell her most disobedient children on this Earth Day? How do you think Earth is celebrating in our absence? What do you think Earth would want to say to us? Here’s an open letter on what she might, from Earth to humanity.
Dear humans,
 
Happy Earth Day! This year while you stay at home, I’m celebrating myself with my other children as they’ve come out to play in your absence.
Trip Leader Niyati Saxena
 
I’d seen you hang your head outside a car window one too many times and giggle into my winds. So, I gave it a shot, made the clouds my swing seat, asked the air for a little nudge and before I knew it I was giggling too.
 
While you’ve started wearing masks only now, I was looking for a mask myself before that my atmosphere had been draped in a gray blanket. For now I’ve thrown away caution because across my continents I see I can breathe a little better. So, I tucked my head into the Italian air and hummed a song too. Then I gasped as my eyelashes opened to see my peaks visible from the terraces of Jalandhar. I thought I’d slipped into a daydream of me back in my 20s! But the peak pinched me and I learnt it’s reality.
 
One of my biggest kids had gone into hiding in some of its homes. But I saw him and his siblings come out to play, the whales swimming in the waters that were always theirs. Their cousins, the dolphins, too came out. I know “Mumbai is a feeling” and I was smiling seeing them feeling like children in their forgotten playgrounds too.
 
Somewhere in Burano, fishes from the canals came out to make a visit too. A little hesitant, floating only slightly above and then overjoyed swimming happily as their fins could be seen waving at me. My dear silly elephants walked out into tea plantations in China and I know they caused damages but just like you didn’t realize you were hurting them, they didn’t either. They simply slept in the green finding comfort in what they hadn’t seen.
Trip Leader Niyati Saxena
 
No, human child of mine, I’m not calling you a villain. I have seen you exclaim dipping in my waters, seen you humbled staring at my mighty mountains and you can’t stop romanticizing my uncle, the Sun, when he wakes and when he heads to bed. I saw you celebrating all that I mentioned above & more.
 
Just this once I am celebrating without you. When you return we shall celebrate again for I have always loved you & you have always marveled at my different forms. Just remember to return to me a little gentler.
 
Love,
Mother Earth