We were born in a Garden, cradled by the Tree of Life. For untold eons, trees have patiently nurtured us and all creatures.
Their roots extend deep in the human soul, and nourish the soil from which all draw sustenance. They bring the rains, and create the very air we breathe. They stand as living monuments to the faith that shall not be moved. Their branches reach heavenward, yielding sweet fruit and fertile seed, sheltering all beings with unfailing mercy.
But today the Tree of Life is withering from carelessness and neglect. We sorrow to behold vast areas of our world where the diversity of nature and the vitality of community are ever harder to sustain.
As people of conscience, we cannot stand idly by while our hands hold the power to turn ravaged land green, and so relieve the poverty and hunger of our brothers and sisters.
Something now stirs within each of us, within the human family, as within a seed that needs only light and water and care to grow. We today resolve to renew the sacred Tree of Life.
We pledge to plant new seeds of spirit in the soil of this world. May each one burst forth as a resurgence of hope. May each be message to children yet unborn that we are mindful of their coming; that we are stewarding for them a green and peaceful planet; that we are keeping faith with their future.
We now commit to restoring the injured landscapes that cry out for healing. We vow to grow billions of trees, defend our precious natural systems, preserve our climate, and protect the myriad beings dwelling in a web of interdependence.
We promise to restore the ecology and economy of the world’s poorest places, and support the communities that wage a daily struggle with environmental degradation.
For we know in our hearts the truth of the ancient saying: Compassion is planting a tree under whose shade you may never sit. We believe that if we work together from the ground up, plant firm a great intention and care for it with diligence and love, then the marvels of life will arise from the good earth and welcome all the generations to follow.
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