Lessons of the Indians

"You should have listened to your mother." How often has that phrase been kicked around over the years? Well, it's time we adopted a new saying: "We should have listened to the Indians."

Early settlers from Europe termed American Indians uncivilized and drove them off their land as they pushed westward. It's taken us generations to realize that these natives were far wiser than we imagined. The Indians firmly believed that the earth should be the same when they left it as it was when they arrived - that it was to be carefully nurtured, protected, preserved. When they relocated their villages, they left the land very much as they had found it. What do you suppose they would have thought of today's houses, malls, industrial centers, etc., which we abandon on a regular basis without the slightest concern? How about our chemical waste piles and various other dumping sites?

Industrialized nations such as ours are learning the hard way that much of our so-called progress has done irreparable damage to not only the planet, but to our own bodies as well. Every day, we find out that one product or another which is a part of our daily lives is not safe. Our waters are polluted, our land, our skies. While some still steadfastly maintain that global warming is a natural thing, few would disagree that we've helped it along substantially.

We're now trying to stem the tide, but it's a formidable task. It's hard to turn back the clock. Leading the way are today's young people, who have discovered what their parents really never learned: the simple life isn't really so bad.

Maine's can be proud that it still boasts an environment which, while not pristine, is far superior to many other parts of the country. White water kayaking along one of our streams, fishing for bass or trout in a quiet lake, climbing a mountain, hiking a wilderness trail, camping along the shore, or soaking in the beauty of the coastline with its mighty whales, seals, puffins or ducks, are all treasures we can still preserve if we put our hearts and minds to it.

It's heartening to find families who want to enjoy nature at its finest on their vacations, and, while we've got a lot to learn about protecting our own little corner of the world, we are lucky that we still have much worth saving here in Maine.

We all need to remember how the early Indian settlers treated the land, and take a page from their book.