“Earth has no sorrow that Earth cannot heal.” John Muir

April 22 marks Earth Day, a celebration of the planet that we all call home. It began in 1970 to help bring awareness of the need to protect our home from harmful activities that hurt the environment. Each year billions of people participate in activities such as planting trees and picking up trash to help make our world a cleaner, healthier, and happier place to live.

The Earth is our home and good stewardship of it is essential. It provides us with the things to sustain life: food, water, and air, as well as opportunities for recreation and adventure.

Earth can also be healing to our minds and spirits. Many people enjoy taking walks on the beach to breathe in the ocean’s salty air or to watch the sun set as the water glistens with radiant light. Others head to the mountains to take in views of majestic peaks and miles of forest. And there are those who find contentment and refreshment in the tranquil deserts that provide unique examples of geological masterpieces and biological specimens that are found nowhere else on the planet.

Here in Southern California, we are blessed to be near all three—the ocean, mountains, and deserts. We’re also a short drive to national parks such as Death Valley, Yosemite, Sequoia, Channel Islands, and Joshua Tree.

Closer to home, Forest Lawn has created beautiful memorial parks for people to enjoy. Our vistas of green spaces in urban populations not only provide a respite from the concrete jungle that surrounds us but are also filled with impressive examples of art and architecture perfectly balanced with the surroundings. We encourage you on Earth Day and any day to visit our parks and renew your spirits through their natural and developed beauty.