“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.#”

- Albert Einstein

It's April 22. Happy Earth Day!

I would have sent you a card, but cards are printed on paper, and, of course, paper comes from trees. So I guess that would defeat the purpose. I know how everyone complains that most holidays are becoming too commercial, but the way I see it, this is the only one that Hallmark can't really bank on, now can it? It really is the most perfect of holidays; you don't have to decorate, deal with family, cook a meal or buy anything. I guess you could listen to some John Denver records, but that's about as far as it goes for Earth carols. All you are expected to do is to go outside and enjoy nature for a bit. Which isn't so bad now that it's becoming spring.

And what a spring it is. The birds are doing it; the bees are doing it. Me? Not so much; but I really didn't think too hard on that subject until this week, when a good friend of mine told me that she's pregnant. This makes a grand total of six friends that are having babies this year. Normally this would not cause much concern for me, but I am in my mid-30s now. I'm starting to wonder if I even have a biological clock. If I do it must be one of those new digital ones, because I don't hear any ticking. I've reached the middle of my life without having a single night of waking up to feed anyone other than myself. In fact the only patter of little feet that goes on in my house is that of squirrels running across the skylight in my bedroom.

I'm not even sure I'm cut out to be a parent anyway. The last time I had to take care of another living creature it was a goldfish that I had won at the carnival. Sure, I was all excited when I brought him or her home (I never really was sure whether it was a boy or girl and I didn't have the heart to ask). I went so far to make this fish happy that I bought one of those really cool aquariums with the pirate ship in it. This fish was living large and in charge with its neon lights and bubbler until one day he or she decided to move out of his or her spacious habitat and relocate to a more - how should I put this? - porcelain environment. I never found a note so I have to assume it was from natural causes.

But enough of that, it's time to celebrate the holiday. Now it wouldn't be a holiday without some sort of token. Everyone knows the best present is one that you put thought into. So this Earth Day, I give only my friendship. In this world, it's a present that is worth recycling.

Auburn native Bradley Molloy's column appears here, each

Sunday, in The Citizen.

He can be reached at lovonian@hotmail.com