I remember participating in the first Earth Day in 1970 at the 8-room rural school I attended outside the town of Marengo, Illinois. Riley School doesn’t look much different today! Mr. Desmond, our science teacher, organized us. I dug up Sugar Maple saplings from the grove at our home and we planted them in the school yard. I was an introvert who developed a special relationship with the natural world. And this simple act, together with other children of like-minds, made me feel part of something big.
Since then I’ve come full circle. I developed a long career in wealth management advising some of the wealthiest families in the U.S. But it stopped being enough. I founded Mandala Financial Advisors two years ago and am now committed to helping all people achieve their goals AND support our planet through thoughtful planning and sustainable investment strategies. Investors now have the means to incentivize businesses to focus on improving their impact on our environment and our communities. I feel the excitement of being part of something big again. Today, Earth Day 2022, let’s celebrate our beautiful planet and focus on what we need to do to sustain our world for all living things.
Namaste. 🙏
John