- Read Emerson and Thoreau.
- Never be self-righteous. Everyone has the right to make his or her own choice in his or her own time.
- Know how to survive in every terrain without modern amenities.
- Shut off the water when you brush your teeth. Pick up trash. Take shorter showers (tough one for your dad).
- Learn how to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Go on a picnic.
- Shut off the TV, computer, and cell phone regularly.
- Consume a little less.
- Play in all weather — dance in the rain, stick your tongue out to catch a snowflake, bask in the sun, ride the wind.
- Appreciate natural beauty everywhere: a still bay, a heaving wave, freckles on the end of a nose, tree frogs.
Breathe.
Your Dad’s Lesson:
When I was 16 years old I got kicked out of Fantasy Island for wearing a shirt that said, “Keep Your Trash Off My Beach, or Stay the H*** Off.” I joined Surfrider and Alliance for a Living Ocean, and planned my mountain abode with periodic salt runs. I was going to save the world. I was pumped. But somewhere along the line, maybe when I was in my early 20s, life started, and I forgot about that commitment. I didn’t even manage to save the world from me. This didn’t happen because I was a bad person or because I didn’t care (it wasn’t like I was throwing napkins out my window while driving). It happened because I didn’t make a conscious effort for it not to happen. By not being part of the solution, I was part of the problem. Today, I try to do little things to make a difference, all while appreciating the breathtaking beauty that exists in the world.
