Stewardship and the Legacy We Leave Behind

Most of us have heard of Earth Day and Arbor Day. Earth Day has been celebrated every year on April 22 since 1970. Arbor Day has been celebrated on the last Friday of April since the 1870s. We often think of these celebrations as global events, days for billions of people to stand together for the planet. But for me, this year, caring for the earth has become deeply personal.

I lost my dad this past November, and his death changed everything for me. In the quiet moments after he passed, I found myself reflecting on the legacy each of us leaves behind. I realized that the greatest inheritance we can give those who follow us is not money or things, but the world God created.

“The greatest inheritance we can give those who follow us is not money or things, but the world God created.”

I think back to the plants my dad tended. I see the rhubarb growing alongside the house, tough, resilient, and deeply rooted. I see his aloe plant, growing too big for its pot, always there with its quiet power to heal. In those simple plants, I remember how much my dad cared for me and for God.

In my grief, I found direction. It has become my calling to protect the very world my dad loved. My purpose is now clear: to encourage others to care for the natural world as deeply as I do.

Earth Day and Arbor Day are not just about picking up litter or planting a single tree. They are about a mindset of stewardship. We are the guardians of this beautiful home God gave us. Please join me in making sure that when the next generation reflects on our legacy, they inherit a planet that is thriving, green, and full of life.