Step back and enjoy nature

[Dorothy]

I've always loved being out in nature. Seeing the trees and plants and animals in places that are at least relativley untouched by humans. Undisturbed and all too often, unseen.

I am writing this after just getting back from a longish walk in the woods (about an hour and a half or so). I think that going into nature is a great way to get away from the stresses of our lives and to reflect and think. Ever since I was quite young I've really loved going outside and into a more natural area, one that isn't regularly mowed or sprayed for various "pests" and "weeds." The whole earth just seems so vibrant and alive when everything is as (or as close to as possible), it was before humans disturbed it.

One of the areas that I walked through today was an patch of land that had, 4 years ago been dug up by a city project to build a new sewer system, which they so far haven't used at all, talk about a waste. When they built it they had to lay pipes and to do so they dug very deep, up rooting and cutting down many of the trees that were there. I remember right after the filled their holes back it that the land looked like it was one giant scar on the Earth. However today, its coming back. The earth, if given the change, can heal from damage, as is that patch of land. Saplings are starting to grow and a few of the larger ones (mostly willow's and sycamores) are nearly my height. It already looks very different from how it looked four years ago.

When I go through that area it sort of fills me with a sense of hope, that things can get better and that even giant scars can begin to heal. It is true that the land will never return to exactly as it was before. The new section of forest that grows back won't be like the old one and will be many many years until it is indistiguishable from the undisturbed section (Even then the layers of the soil will still be noticealy disturbed), but seeing it start to heal and seeing that it no longer looks completely like a giant scar (it still sorta does, but nowhere near as bad).

Taking walks out in nature or otherwise going to places where the earth hasn't been messed up at all is an important thing for people to do. For starters it reminds us that we are apart of nature, not separate from it, but of it. When we journey into the undisturbed portions of the our world we are reminded the it isn't just our world. It doesn't belong to us alone, but also to the trees and the deer and the foxes and mosses and every other living thing that inhabits this planet. Understanding that we are not the sole keeper and residents of our planet should theoretically help prevent people from acting like they completely owned it. Doing things that benefit humans only but cause harm to all the other living things, like the new sewer system that was built for a planned neighborhood that was never actually finnished. Building displaced many creatures, it changed the flow of the water, and even the trees that were just near the digging died on some occasions due to having the soil and their roots messed up.

By going back to nature we can be reminded why we should protect it and why we should evaluate the impact of our actions not just on other people but on other living things as well. The trees and birds and other living things have just as much of a right to be on this planet as we do. They have no voices to speak with which is why people who care need to be their voices and prevent them from being pushed off of this planet.

So take a walk in nature, stand back and enjoy its beauty, remember that you too are apart of it. Hey, and you'll get some exersize in the deal as well.

[Michelle]

My friend suggested that I could have spattergroit.

[Michelle]

Don't get me wrong...I LOVE nature...I really do. We are keepers of this earth and I do my part to take care of it. But nature does NOT like me. I spent four hours outside playing games and got a sunburn from 94 degree weather with cloud coverage...and we haven't gotten to the full summer when the temperature should be well over 100 with humidity (makes it feel like 117). I also have some sort of skin irritation/reaction from something in nature. It's red and itchy and has me slightly worried. So even though I love nature, this summer I will do my best to stay out of her way.

[Amber Surface]

That's beautiful. I love being in nature and of nature.