PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays
A once-lush forest was now wasteland. Humans moved in and cut down all of the trees. Once the trees were gone, there was nothing protecting the soil from the scorching sun; it became barren. The wild animals left.
Arrogant humans’ ego-driven cravings for ownership built fences for “their” domesticated livestock. Death grows in hardscrabble. The horses, cows, sheep, pigs, and even the chickens starved. The fence a daily reminder; the rancher’s wife wrung her hands and wept as there was no food for the hollow-eyed children. The farmer raised his fists to the sky and cursed God, screaming, “Why!?”
Rochelle is the host of Friday Fictioneers. Rochelle says:
Tao Talk 
This reminds me of West Virginia. My wife is from there…the mountains were stripped mined and ugly.
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It’s almost like humans are on a mission to destroy that which gives them life. The idea of destroying a mountain for coal or anything else is a crime against nature and those who live peacefully with nature.
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What they tear down they must put back…that is something that is missing…or find better ways.
I have a friend who is a big time capitalist… he told me there is two kinds of capitalists…extreme which he is not or common sense ones….
The example he gave was… An common sense capitalist would see a mountain and place a business on top of it… and extreme one would destroy the mountain to place a business where it was.
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How about the capitalists keep their dirty mitts away from the mountain?
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If they own it that ain’t gonna happen. I know where you are coming from though.
I just wished they would act responsible. Everyone needs to give back what they take.
My preference is not to do it at all.
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Well-said, Max.
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So many trees and plants protect our landscape. It’s against the law in places to remove a certain grass from sand dunes as they’re all that’s preventing erosion.
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Tell that to the land rapists who pay off local boards and get abeyances…
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Not much point in blaming God for the way we treat the planet, I’m afraid that is entirely our own doing, and we seem determined to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
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Exactly :(
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Iain Kelly has it in a nutshell. Can’t add anything. Great for you to raise the issue.
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Thank you.
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The problem is us not some supernatural deity.
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yes, but get him, his wife, and his starving children to understand…
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Why indeed. We’re expected to use the common sense we were given. Perhaps “common” is the wrong word as not everyone seems to have some. Good story, Jade. That’s exactly what happens. —- Suzanne
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Thank you Suzanne, yes it does.
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You reap what you sow, to coin an entirely ironic phrase in this case! Great tale
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Thanks for the great comment, Shrawley!
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Yep, we bring on our worst problems all unknowingly.
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Right. Shake your fist at God after you destroy His creation. Makes all kinds of sense.
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Exactly. God has given us so many beautiful, wonderful things. Instead of looking at a tree as a glorious life-giver, it’s looked at as an obstruction to further exploitation. I’m sorry the kids had to suffer in this story. I hope someone caring, who loves the planet and the gifts, comes along and teaches them how to live, not starve.
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Yes we humans have done a bang-up job destroying our own home…
Well done, Jade.
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Thank you, Dale.
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Dear Jade,
We aren’t good keepers of the planet, are we? Don’t blame God.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle, I won’t.
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This has happened over and over… yet we continue to destroy.
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I know, and I can’t figure out why…
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Absolutely true. Blaming God instead of seeing the destruction caused by us.
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