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I HAVE THINGS TO DO
A sunny day in the summer of 1998 changed my life. I was 14 and on my first backpacking trip through the Appalachian Mountains. Never before had I been so isolated from civilization, nor immersed so completely in the beauty of the natural world. Since the only semblances of human life were limited to my group of fellow hikers and a well-traveled trail, I easily became enraptured with the splendor of pure Mother Nature.
Hiking to the top of one particular mountain peak in Pennsylvania, I felt something was not quite right. The sunlight was brighter than one would expect in a forest. Then as I looked around, my sense of awe turned to horror. All the trees were dead.
About the author
Elise Rindfleisch recently graduated from Oberlin College with high honors in environmental studies. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.

March 14, 2005 issue
View Issue-
LETTERS
with contributions from JAMES E. BOYKIN, SHIRLEY PLOUGHMAN, ANNE LUCAS, LAURIE HUSSELBEE, DEE MAHUVAWALLA
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A HEAVENLY KINGDOM
PATRICIA KADICK. STAFF EDITOR
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ITEMS OF INTEREST
with contributions from Bette Vickers, George Basler, Ann Rodgers
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A BETTER ENVIRONMENT—IT'S YOUR CHOICE
By Channing Walker
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PRACTICING EARTHCARE
By Dorrit Kjaer Christiansen
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I HAVE THINGS TO DO
By Elise Rindfleisch
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VIEWS OF HOPE IN THE WAKE OF THE TSUNAMI
Andy Nelson
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'Go do it'
By Jamie Ranson
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HAS GOD HEARD MY PRAYER?
By Jim Baker
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NOISE ABATEMENT THROUGH GRATITUDE
By Deidre Michell
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WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Bea Roegge
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LAVENDER MIST
DEMARIS WEHR,
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PRAYER TO GOD, FOR GOD
JASMINE ALEXANDRA
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PUSHING THE LIMITS OF MOTHERHOOD
REBECCA ODEGAARD
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YOU CAN'T HARM AN IDEA
RACHEL ANNA MCVEY
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A GROWTH IS HEALED THROUGH SPIRITUAL STUDY AND PRAYER
DORIS OLAWUWO
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NORMAL DIGESTIVE FUNCTIONS RESTORED
JOY FERNE