Reflecting on nature, eh? The most prominent thing that attracts me to nature is peace and quiet. As I mentioned in class, I really enjoy the city life. I live in downtown Phoenix, have no car, and take advantage of living in an urban environment. On the other hand, I love nature and the retreat from this lifestyle that it provides (and since I don't have a car, my natural excursions can't be spontaneous).
Along the same lines of peace and quiet, nature also makes me feel very small in this big world (see picture from previous post). Even though the Grand Canyon is just a big hole in the ground, it really put you in your place. Likewise, I hiked the Kiwanis Trail in South Mountain Park last Sunday with my parents, and the valley through which you hike, surrounded on both sides. Speaking of my parents, I think that they are the reason I am fond of nature, especially viewing nature as an escape from city life. Growing up, we had a cabin on the eastern side of Olympic National Park in the wilderness of Washington's Olympic Peninsula. We enjoyed the natural settings, playing around the river, and digging for clams in the Puget Sound. My siblings and I were taught at a young age that nature was something to be enjoyed, and that we were fortunate to have such great natural areas so close to home in the Northwest.
These views on nature have affected my life because I always enjoy going out into nature, and some do not. Also, I am a person concerned with preservation of open space and conservation of our environment because I enjoy nature. From a career standpoint, preserving wilderness areas for the sake of tourism will affect my career because people enjoy visiting the outdoors and participating in recreation. Overall, in my eyes, preserving nature and the environment has a large, positive ripple effect to all aspects of life.
I recently was able to visit washington for the first time this past summer. I was in awe! I am born and raised in phoenix, and being in washington for a week was such a shock, they are nothing alike! Staying at my boyfriends parents house with trees taller then i have ever seen in the backyard was so awesome.
ReplyDeleteit is so beautiful there, and i bet you can for sure appriciate nature coming from a place like that.