By Elisa Novick
Coming back into the United States after six weeks in Europe, the first leg of the Thriving Planet World Tour, I find myself living for a time in comparisons while I recover from the rigors of travel, go through an internal upgrade, and happily check in with my tree friends.
First, I notice that compared to the stout brick and stone buildings of Europe, homes and castles and cathedrals that have been there more than 1,000 years, as well as more modern ones, the houses where I live, mostly built of wood, look flimsy, the churches small and plain. Many of the places I see driving through New England and New York State look so run down. I remember having a Slovakian friend tell me that the houses here look like summer homes — not built to last. My response at that time was of surprise. After all, the house I live in is about 200 years old! Now I understand.
On the other hand, I have an appreciation that at least in the area in which I am driving, the land is less developed than the land I saw in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Trees grow unaided, not every inch of arable land is farmed. There is even some wildlife left. I’ve often thought — and had some past-life memories — about what this area looked like before people or before there were too many people, and been saddened by the loss of teaming wildlife.
Yet having been in so many places where I didn’t see a squirrel or a chipmunk or a deer or a fox, I appreciate those who have managed to survive. I miss the birdsong of Europe, especially the blackbirds, but hear many more types of birds here. And though I know this is not true everywhere in the United States, I was especially happy that I live in a town that has two well-stocked health food stores. Those were hard to find in Europe.