Along comes a film at long last to take our minds off swine flu, ongoing man’s atrocities against his fellow man-hunger, war, massive unemployment, fear and hatred-which I highly recommend. Walt Disney Studios Disneynature Series opened on Earth Day, April 22nd with the bigger than life, global coverage in Earth narrated by the rich and soothing voice-over of actor James Earl Jones.
Jones’ booming melodic voice reminds us Earth is one year in the life of creatures who share our planet-the only planet that we know that supports life. Earth is the amazing journey across the universe of three families-polar bears, African elephants and humpback whales, the latter who cover more than 5,000 miles in open seas and oceans to survive to thrive. I thought that we here in Sedona, Arizona had a paradise worth filming, but Earth shot with time-release cinematography with classical music, was so breathtaking at times I forgot to breathe.
I have a theory that sitting for an hour and a half with Earth is cathartic; cathartic because we are able to see the world from the top and across all continents and as voyeurs observe how the animal kingdom motors through life, caring for one another, able to overcome or to succumb to the laws of the jungle and oftentimes to be able to do so with instincts to survive against the greatest odds. To see the elephants reach the massive reservoirs of natural water supplies-their only goal for weeks upon weeks of odyssey; to see the polar bears leave their mother to become adults to make it on their own; to watch newborn ducks jump from their nest on first flight only to land upon tiers of leaves-you know from watching blue skies that one day they will fly.
I don’t always know how we do it but if you are anything like me, the combination of soul-stirring music and overwhelmingly beautiful photography and the guidance of a master voice like James Earl Jones, makes me glad to be alive with the same loving and merciful Overlord, God, who made the creatures of the good earth, including those just like you and me.
Albert Clayton Gaulden is the founding director of the Sedona Intensive and author of You’re Not Who You Think You Are: A Breakthrough Guide to Discovering the Authentic You. For more information about Albert and Sedona Intensive visit http://www.sedonaintensive.com/.
Purchase You’re Not Who You Think You Are at http://www.yourenotwhoyouthinkyouare.com/
