New Beginnings

              Senior year of college is almost halfway through and I find myself pondering major life questions. I find myself peering into the future and retrospectively gazing at my past at an increasing rate. I am trying to cherish and take mental pictures of each day that I am blessed with in college. I believe it is important for each person to take a step back and reflect and make goals for the future, especially in times of a major life transition. These same questions I have spiraling through my mind appear in my mind’s eye when I am surrounded by nature. Nature has this calming effect that reminds me of what is really important in life and that my momentary stressors are just that momentary.

                Nature is defined as “the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth, as opposed to humans or human creations.” I love the descriptors used in this definition it is the world COLLECTIVELY. This is how humans should view their surroundings. Not as superiors, but as a collective unit that is a part of this Earth. I believe nature calms me for it brings me back to my Creator. It reminds me that I am a part of something much bigger then myself and that is invigorating.

                This summer I was able to camp with some of my closest friends along the side of the lake. One morning I woke up earlier than the rest of my friends so that I could read scripture among the light of a new morning reflected in the lake before me. It is a treasured memory I hold for in those moments before the rest of the world was a wake I was able to spend intimate time with my God and be among His creation. It is extraordinary to look out onto the lake and see the sky and sun reflected on its surface. It seems to entice the human eye to stare even just for a little longer. It is mesmerizing to think that the grand bodies of water on this earth are dated far before even the elders of my family that first came to North America.

                I believe all humans have this inner pull to nature. To some this may just be observing the friendly squirrel on TCU’s campus while others natures pull brings them far deep into the wilderness untouched by human hands. This gravitational pull to the other inhabitants of this great earth is what I believe keeps us sane. Life would be quite dull in dreary if it was truly centralized around me or any other one person. The beauty is in the collectivism of this fine earth. All inhabitants are meant to live in a type of unity that is hard to express on the mere typing of these keys.

                With this reflection on my draw to nature I hope to continue to ask the big life questions, and to never take myself too seriously. I pray that my worldview is always focused on those around me and the inherent community we all share. Here is to new beginnings. 

10/24 Fort Worth Nature Center

               This week we returned to the Fort Worth nature center to continue our work on the Prairie trail. We had three main objectives. 1) Repair the damaged water bars 2) continue to fill in the eroded trail 3) shovel a thin layer of gravel over the trail. My team had a clearer picture of what the water bars must look like to prevent future erosion to the trail from the rain fall. By the end of the class period we repaired the previous water bars that did not withstand the recent rainfalls and covered the entirety of the trail with gravel to further compact the newly laid ground.

                While repairing the trail I began to ponder the importance of protecting trails such as this. Until this experience I was unaware of the intensive labor that was involved in maintain hiking routes. I merely trekked along the trails that others prepared for me without a second thought. Trails such as this have brought me so much solace over the years. Being out amongst nature has allowed me to take a step outside of myself and reflect on the greater world I am a part of.  I am immensely thankful for those who tirelessly work to provide moments of serenity in nature for us city folk.

                While at work on the trail I took a moment to take in a deep breath and actually breathe. I go throughout each passing day without a passing thought on what surrounds me. I am incredibly task oriented and move from activity to activity without taking a moment to truly use the beautiful gift of sight that I have. I made sure to not allow the time working on the Prairie trail to be another fleeting moment or task. I took a breath and gazed at my surroundings that encompassed tall prairie grass with an array of insects that peered out to observe us the intruders of their serenity. The bug life that I noticed included dragonflies that weaved in and out of our utensils and the surrounding blades of grass and black crickets that decided to join in on our fun and danced around our feet.

                I believe it is critical that we all take a moment to take in our surroundings. I believe the world would be a much better place if people sat back and realized the world is much greater then themselves. I find that taking moments in nature gets me out of the selfish ruts that I sometimes find myself in.