UNLESS

Today, being Dr. Seuss’ 108th Birthday and all, is perhaps the most perfect and auspicious timing for the release of Universal Picture’s animated interpretation of Seuss’ classic children’s book, The Lorax.

The Man bought me this book as a Valentine’s Day gift and, upon reacquainting myself with the story I once thought I knew, I was dumbfounded. The man (Dr. Seuss, that is) was BRILLIANT. To think that this book was published in 1971, “in the days when the grass was still green and the pond was still wet and the clouds were still clean,” amazes me. How did he know that we would chop down the forests to build the houses and other such “thneeds” that we somehow felt were more important that preserving the homes of the animals that lived there.

Okay, maybe I am getting too preachy here. After all, I too live in a 4 bedroom home in the ‘burbs. But I do wonder if we’ve gone too far. I mean, just look around. How many buildings in your surrounding area are vacant, be it office, home, or other business? How many grocery stores or coffee shops do you have within a 5 mile radius of your home? Do we need all that? Really?

All that aside, what about the open space preserves, national parks, or other beautiful places which we have somehow managed to save from development? How many times have you seen a seemly-perfect tree such as this manzanita tree out in the middle of these paradises? Look closely: more than one person has carved their name into the tree trunk. It’s sad.

One look at this makes me wish that there was really and truly a Lorax to speak for the poor defenseless trees, for the birds, the bears, the fish… and for us. If there is anything we need, it is glorious places such as these. In my humble opinion, these are the “thneeds” that-all-people-need.

But there is no Lorax. He is gone. It is now up to us. And there are so many ways that we can act and so many issues at hand. Pick one, or two, or three. Whether you intend to plant a tree (be it a Truffula or other), or choose to support change in one of the many other environmental issues at hand, do it — please! Because, as Dr. Seuss so brilliantly foresaw, “UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”