Gaia Was Here First

Few days back, while talking to a friend, I was discussing about the sense of megalomania that pervades the human minds and how we have started behaving with a condescending sense of supremacy against Nature – how we behave like the planet was made only for us, to cater to our petty needs and greed, how we are trying to ‘save’ the planet, how we are trying to ‘protect’ the environment and so on. I have never felt to be one of the most ‘evolved’ species. If anything, we humans have learnt to clothe ourselves – or denude ourselves, as is the modern wont – and have invented some snazzy gadgets. Deep within, we all remain as fierce, as vile and as lowly as an animal can ever be.

This morning, the rain gave some respite after lashing out for nearly a week here. I was going through our little garden, taking stock of the situation and checking for damages, if any, to the plants due to the rain. A look at the garden soil reinforced my belief in the supremacy of Nature and the superiority of this planet over us humans. In the garden, not only had the seedlings braved the rain, they had even twisted and turned in search of light and protection from the rain, as could be witnessed from their shapes. Not just that. Some of the plants which we had cut down to the ground had put forth some tender sprouts. The ground was covered with so many tiny seedlings, weeds and worms of varied kind.

I felt a sense of wonder and humility at this sight. If a small piece of garden can renew itself and manage to cover itself with life in a week’s rain, what is to happen to this planet if we humans stop intervening in her path?! Won’t this planet cover herself with life and bring forth even more evolved life forms as before? End of the day, it is we humans that meddle with her patient demeanour and then put up a show of caring for her. This planet neither needs saving nor any meddling. Remember, the Gaia has been here for billions of years and we puny worms have been here for only a few millions - or even less. All that we need to do is to take care of our tiny selves and stop acting as if we are the saviors around here. We are just visitors who have been making a grand drama about things, while exploiting and violating Gaia. We will all wither and vanish sooner than later, as has been proved by the history of this planet, but she can survive anything, as she has always done.

Time we all had a sense of humility and respect during our interactions with Nature. She was here first, she reigns supreme here and she will remain for ages long after our whole species are wiped out. Top-of-the-food-chain?! Time we reanalyzed our claim to that spot!