Looking at the incredible number of people who spend time in nature, one could say we love nature. And then I wonder about that when I read articles about trailheads and trails being destroyed due to thoughtless action.
I wonder what is going on for those people? I have to acknowledge that probably they are just not aware of the impact of their behavior on others and the earth.
Nature doesn't destroy - and there is a difference in perspective which I will go into - nature creates space for new life. How long does it take for green to show on an abandoned parking lot? From my own experience, the worst 'dirt road' I ever drove was an abandoned paved road ( new one had been built near by). It was amazing to see how nature reclaimed the pavement from the sides and broke the pavement up all the way across. I was angry at the inaccurate map and cheered for nature.
As humans, we consider nature often destructive. That shows that we talk about natural disasters. Granted it is a disaster for us when houses get destroyed. Is it a disaster for nature too? I doubt it. Nature does not judge any of these events; it is us who do. Nature does what needs to be done based on the circumstances. There is no judgment of human actions which are often destructive of nature.
For instance, when I am in Yellowstone N.P., one of my favorites, and I see the stupidity and disrespect of people towards animals there. I want to apologize to Nature. What would it take to have the same respect for nature, for the earth. Isn't the earth the home for all of us?
And what would it take to learn from the earth, from nature not to judge; not to take revenge? What would it take for us to create instead of destroy? And what could be created if that was our intention? There is so much beauty in nature. What if we began to create beauty?
Nature has cycles, the four seasons. What if we honored those not only in our lives, but also in the way we live? Death is part of nature, yet we humans, so often are deathly afraid of death. That is not how it used to be. With modern medicine, death became a failure for a physician and that attitude has permeated our culture. This talk by hospice physician Dr. Zach Bush is the most beautiful talk about death that I have ever heard. What are we afraid of? May be I am weird since I had always a different view of death. On some level, I was aware that people choose to die, even if it is not on a cognitive level.
Can we begin to observe nature, how the animals and plants live without overlaying human emotions? Can each one of us decide how me can live more naturally? We all have different ways of looking at the world. How can we allow nature to inform us for a more natural way of living, one without the current separation that so many of us have?