The day before Earth Day 2026, I wandered along Reston trails, no particular destination in mind. I turned left where I usually turn right and right where I usually turned left.

A chilly morning had blossomed into a spectacular spring afternoon. Recent rain filled the creeks, sent water tumbling over rocks, gurgling and singing. I stopped at a bridge and took in the scene, inhaled deeply. I have my problems with the suburbs, but I could have landed in worse.

How prescient are these paths and the woods that surround them, how lucky we are to have them, portals to the sublime.

So on this day devoted to nature and preserving the bounty of the planet, I salute my place, my tiny dot in the universe. May it thrive for many millennia.