Earth Day is officially April 22nd, the 38th such celebration for our mother planet here in the USA, but this past Monday the 380 elementary school children in our town, together with the High School Band, Smokey the Bear, our State Representative, and assorted local dignitaries, police and fire vehicle escorts, banners and flags flying, marched the mile and a half down the hill through the center of town to the banks of the Connecticut River to pay homage to the Earth a few days early.

As we stood together in a circle at the Great Falls Discovery Center, with the fish ladder nearby soon to bring thousand of migrating shad and occasional Atlantic salmon upsteam, with nesting bald eagles hatching two new eaglets already this spring, one could pause and take hope in the great cycle of development watching the eager faces of the young wind-blown, rosey-cheeked children gathered to believe in their future.

As the adults who have planned and carried out this event and the educational units back in the classrooms in science, reading and history for many years, there is much more to Earth Day, of course, than a parade. Our children’s future depends on the integrity of our stewardship. I am always reminded, at this time of year, of the wonderful book my friend and colleague, Jay Lord, first shared with me many years ago. The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono is the best tale of stewardship ever written and it becomes more important every year. It should be required reading in every high school in America. It is less than 100 pages long.

Happy Earth Day. Plant a tree with the children.