Week 8

Week Eight, 10/10

               

Loren Eiseley talks a lot about the miraculous and how some of the most magnificent sights can be viewed through this lens. This reminds me of every time I see a magnificent sunset. I can’t help but think how God created such a beautiful thing, even in the midst of a whole bunch of chaos. I think a lot of our opinions of the miraculous revolves around comparison. Our world has been thrust into so much turmoil at the moment, so much so that anything that contrast starkly to that is viewed as out of the ordinary, unique, and outstanding. One day, my sister and I were praying outside, and we saw a cross in the sky. It had been formed by clouds, and it seemed like God was trying to speak to us through that image, saying, “I hear you,” or something of the sort. Another time when we were praying, my sister saw a chorus of angels singing in the sky. My mom and I were present as well, but the image was not visible to us. This was another encounter with the divine.

                So many people enjoy the variety of recreational activities that we are so fortunate to have available to us. What we fail to realize is how these hot spots became what they are today. What had to be destroyed to erect these buildings, amusement parks, and malls? Rarely do we ask these questions, but it’s important to realize that a plethora of wilderness was damaged, never to be returned to each original state and value. Long forgotten. Never to be spoke of again. I hate to make this analogy but it’s like the child that no one ever notices, and once they’re gone, no one acknowledges their absence. Wilderness is filled with life, not only with the plants, but animals and insects as well. Many may argue that these are of little importance, but what if there existed a race that was much bigger than us, big enough to get rid of us? Then we would surely worry. Then we wouldn’t be so careless and indifferent.

                Thomas Merton’s piece was also intriguing. Describing rain as a “festival” is peculiar and with further reflection, I can see where he was going. When I listen to the rain, I hear a sort of orchestra as the rain splatters on different surfaces. Loud tones. Soft tones. High pitches. Soft pitches. Ringing sounds. Thuds. Clicks. Vibrations. These all put you in the mindset of a concert, which is why I think I enjoy listening to the rain, especially thunderstorms, which provide the sound of thunder to add to the melody. I’m not a big fan of being in the rain, but I do enjoy the tranquility it elicits. Merton also says that you have to be alone to discover your identity, which is something I agree with. If you’re constantly surrounded by the world, you won’t have time to truly search yourself because you’re being bombarded by what others think is right and wrong, what others think you should do, and who others think you should be. There’s barely any room to think for yourself. I think we are all people-pleasers to some extent. It is rare to find someone whose goal in life is to make everyone angry. Therefore, people push us to be something we’re not and in order to realize that, you have to spend time alone, contemplating your decisions, examining your flaws, searching your personality, and sifting through your values.

                Nash talks about how the wilderness is a source of virility, and it’s interesting that he constantly refers to manliness when talking about the wilderness, as if feminine qualities would not stand a chance in the wild. This comes across as a little sexist and also portrays the wilderness as stereotypically “wild.” The wilderness is manly, so you have to sort of present reasonable match by also possessing manly attributes. Nash describes the wilderness as being able to develop these tough characteristics within individuals if we spend time with it. This is why he is such a proponent of the outdoor movement, like the Boy Scouts, because he believes that it makes you like a man, able to confront anything that comes your way and outcompeting those that lack these qualities. What does this say about women who are seen as feminine? How does this help gender equality if the wilderness if viewed through the lens of a man?

What also surprised me was how popular Tarzan still is today in the various outlets it has been presented through (i.e. film, book), as well as the re-makes. This shows that the idea of the savage, seen in a positive light, is truly celebrated. Being one with nature (animals and plants, alike) is something to be promoted, especially since Tarzan ends up getting the girl at the end. It’s also important to note that Tarzan drives out the “white man” who is not suited for and does not understand the wild life. In the end, the wilderness triumphs over civilization. Within the same story line, we get the idea of the importance of preservation.

Week 7

Week Seven, 10/3

            John Muir’s writing is really interesting, and his personality also strikes me as unique. The fact that he went out into the forest in the middle of a thunderstorm is quite strange and contradictory. Usually, in the midst of a storm, people tend to seek shelter to avoid the oncoming damage. I love being inside when it’s raining and either watching a movie, reading a book, or taking a nap because this is soothing. It conjures up a feeling of comfort and tranquility that I feel is shared among many. Muir is the opposite. He is more occupied in his interest of nature and what it has to offer, so much so that he wants to be part of the experience of the storm. He wants to be as close to it as possible because to him, only beauty radiates through. I was surprised with how much knowledge he had regarding trees and the wind. If there was a major offered in these fields, he would be an expert in it. He gave the trees and the wind life, whereas any ordinary person would not acknowledge these aspects of nature. We know they’re there, but rarely do we highlight their presence. Muir characterized the different aspects of nature in a personified fashion, relating it to things that the common person would be familiar with, like a “musical ensemble,” a “festival,” and a “sleeping child.”

The Lakota people have a deeply-rooted connection to nature, so much so that they liken the soil to one’s mother. It’s there for protection and guidance. Without it, you have no purpose. The soil is described as having healing powers, as well as providing wisdom and safety, which is not something most Americans associate with soil. I likened their belief of humans coming from the soil of the earth to the idea that many Christians believe that we came from dust/the earth, meaning that we are one and alike with it. The Lakota also believe in a “kinship with all creatures,” thus no animal is seen as lesser than a man. They choose to live in harmony with the wild and tamed creatures of the earth, realizing that they need to support each other. The white man is described as distanced and lacking awareness, in terms of nature, while the Indian is observant and in tune with nature. Many might not support the idea of seeing the white man as ignorant, but I think this would be an instance of taken the point to literally. I think what is trying to be conveyed is the idea that the civilized man is too out of touch. The idea of the “white man,” I believe, is chosen because they were the first colonizers, changing the land they encountered. The “white man” is being used as a symbol of a conqueror, one who does not appreciate the original or recognize/acknowledge the beauty in the primitive. The Indian, on the other hand, lives in concert with his surroundings. Again, “Indian” seems to be referring to those who preserve the wilderness as is and don’t try to become predators to it.

I see myself as part Pioneer and part Romantic/naturalist. I truly believe that the wilderness has resources that mankind can utilize, but only to a certain extent. Mankind has the opportunity to make use of the parts of the environment that can be naturally renewed. What I don’t agree with is the exploitation of scarce and nonrenewable resources, because once they’re gone, they’re gone. I don’t think nature should be altered but rather, there is beauty and value in the innate state of nature. The times that I have been completely entrenched in nature, I’ve felt a sense of peace because this gives me the opportunity to forget worldly troubles and dive into a space of self-reflection and awe. Without preserving such places, there would be no escape from civilization. Even locking yourself up in your room would not be sufficient because you would still be surrounded by the influence of mankind, which often serves as a reminder of the inevitable cycle of concern and worry.

Unfortunately, there is a good portion of the population that could not care less about the preservation of wild nature, and there is not much you can do about that. I don’t understand how someone can be so indifferent to the changing landscape around them, while only being concerned with those things that concern them personally. There is beauty and value in everything that God created, but how do you pose that argument to nonbelievers?

Week 6

Week Six, 9/26

            We went to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge again for our second week of shoveling clay onto our trail. This time, instead of the class meeting at the office, we met at the trail, which was more convenient, with all the tools being brought to us.

            I got to the trail and didn’t see anyone in my group, so I assumed that they had already headed to the parted of the trail that we would be working on. Therefore, I started walking down the trail on my own. At first, I was a little worried to be walking down the trail alone, but the angst slowly went away. The weather was nice and the sun was covered by some lingering clouds, so there was very limited sweating on my part. As I walked, I decided to take advantage of my time alone with Mother Nature. Instantly, I began to feel at peace and one with my surroundings. The trees became more lively, as well as the grass. Rather than just being “things” to look at, they became increasingly important aspects of the envirnoment. I wondered why I had never taken notice of this. I gradually became more and more comfortable, as if I was encountering something familiar.

            I also used this opportunity to snap some pictures on my phone. Wanting to take a picture of any unique plant, I scanned my surroundings as I walked, looking for a plant that would stand out to me as peculiar or extraordinary. I came across a small purple flower with six petals. About fifteen of them were arranged in a small cluster, originating from one stem, and they were surrounded by tall grass. I saw a couple other clusters that looked to be of the same species, but I was specifically drawn to one cluster. I took a picture of it for future reference.

I also spotted two orange butterflies. It was difficult to get a picture up close because if I got to near, they would fly to a different blade of grass. I had to settle on zooming in on the butterflies, even though the resolution was not as great. I continued walking on the trail and examined the pictures I had taken. I noticed that one butterfly was more ornamented than the other. I then assumed that one had to be male and the other female, with the female being the more decorated one. The female had a white and black boarder, while the male had black and orange boarder. I decided to retrace my steps and found the two butterflies in the same location. I resumed taking pictures and noticed that the two always flew together, with the male following the female. It was quite a fascinating sight to openly see such a human tendency of protecting one’s mate play out in these tiny creatures. It was really cute. The female would perch on a blade of grass while the male hovered above it. It was difficult to get a clear picture because both butterflies never remained still, but were always fluttering their wings. Although, I was surprised that whenever they did fly away they only moved about a foot. I assumed they were aware of my presence, especially as I tried to inch my phone closer and closer, but they did not let that bother them.

When I got to the part of the trail we were working on, there was no one in sight, so I was wondering if anybody would show up, especially since I was already late. I started walking back towards the direction I came from, only to see three of my group members approaching. Seeing as the sun had once again made its presence known, I was glad I did not have to walk all the way back.

The man on staff pulled up with the tools and we went to work. The last time we came to the nature center, we took our time, carrying on casual conversation. This time, since we had an official with us, we were more efficient and got a lot more done, with a lot more sweat. I was on shoveling duty for a little bit before I switched to raking, the latter allowing me to relax and cool off. I really wonder how the trails got so bad. Someone could have easily broken an ankle walking down the trail because it was so uneven and unpredictable. I guess it eventually got too bad to handle that they had to solicit help to fix it. The weathering is not something that happened overnight.

Our experience with shoveling clay is over, and the next time we come, we’ll be assigned to another task. I wonder what it will be.