I recently returned from a wonderful trip with friends to visit, via cruise ship, ports in Spain, Italy, France and Majorca. We had the opportunity to visit Sorrento and Pompeii, two of the lovely villages of Cinque Terre, Rome, Florence, and their port cities. We also spent a day in Majorca and two days in Barcelona. Traveling to other countries and cultures is such a gift. I have traveled little compared to many, but each trip abroad validates my belief that we humans have a common love for art, nature, and beauty that we could better utilize in order to bring about more unity in the world.

We are brothers and sisters sharing this amazing planet we call earth. Its beauty is found everywhere you travel, as is the amazing creativity of mankind. The ruins of Pompeii, the architecture of Barcelona, the art of Rome and the Vatican, and the wealth and luxury of Monaco and the French Riviera were topped only by the incredible natural views along the Mediterranean coast line. I was constantly in awe! There is no one “most beautiful place in the world.” Our earth is a truly amazing planet.

While we enjoyed our travels a powerful hurricane called Michael threatened the Florida panhandle and a new UN Climate Report was released that warns of impending troubles coming, even more quickly than imagined before, if we don’t take drastic measures to protect our earth.

I hope those who doubt that climate change is a real danger to all of us, to the entire planet, will do their research with an open heart and mind. We must not bury our heads in the sand or cling to some political agenda. We have too much to lose!