Nature is the world around us, except for human made
phenomena. As humans are the only animal species that consciously, powerfully
manipulates the environment, we think of ourselves as exalted, as special. We
acknowledge that in an objective view we are merely one of many organisms, and
that we are not able to survive outside of our natural world of air, earth,
water and life. But we tend to be poor leaders in the "hierarchy" of
animal life. Despite our greatness, too often we waste, we fight, breed heedlessly,
and are too selfish and short sighted. I take note of the increasing awareness
of ecology, at least in Western culture, and am heartened. We may still change
our weapons of war into tools of peace, and our habits of nurturing into despoliation.
Earth is so large, that even if humans destroy
ourselves, plus most other life forms, there will still be nature. The soil,
oceans, atmosphere and weather would still interact with solar power to allow
some life to exist. Earth cannot be a barren place like the moon. Humans can,
then, reduce our planetary paradise into a hell of sorts, but cannot, I
believe, destroy the planet itself.
This thought, sober and gloomy, is a modern one, in
earlier ages it is unlikely that people contemplated ourselves wiping out most
life on earth. I don't know why I brought it to the forefront of my nature
essay. It does offer a perspective.
Nature's life forces, as well as its winds,
eruptions, quakes, avalanches, freezes, etc, is immensely powerful. I try
to recall back my study. It was more than 10 years ago, so my memory has retained
only a few observations, life was strongest near water sources, and the
weediest plants were most successful in revegetating the barren grey ash.
Mosses tolerant of Seattle's freeway cracks grew on the loose sand and ash.
Fireweed, which thrives after forest fires, clear cuts and bombed sites, was
abundant. If memory serves, scientists in general expressed pleased surprise at
the rapidity of revegetation.
Even in this age of high technology, where many
people who live in cities and work full-time with computers see but little
nature intimately at least we all are still aware of the weather and the
seasons. We all know that a short, rainy winter day is less pleasant than a
warm sunny June day. Most of us are cheered at the return of spring, and we
mostly have certain pleasant or striking memories we associate with each
season.
My awareness of nature was at this relatively normal
level until high school. I recall as an form24 student, that nature was wholly
unappealing to me. I liked sports, music, comic books, stamp collecting, and
whatnot. Trees were trees, grass was grass, flowers were flowers and weeds were
weeds. But by the time I was in form 4, and especially form 5, I had been
affected profoundly by nature awareness. I went from a normal worldview to one
wherein the value of being aware of and appreciative of nature was a centre piece.
In retrospect, this was the pivotal transformation of my life.
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The awareness of natural beauty was like a
revelation. I looked at, and experienced, all manner of organisms, and light.
Rainfall or windstorms became celebratory. At the time I had boundless ambition
and wanted to learn the names and attributes of all the birds, butterflies,
spiders, insects, seashells, plants, stars and constellations etc. It
was a kind of euphoria. I saw the utility of such knowledge, too. How to raise
vegetables and berries, and which plants in the wild were edible, appealed
greatly to me. I began gardening. At the time I thought I'd grow up, move to
the country, and be independent. I kept a journal in which I recorded plant
flowering dates, and all my natural history observations. I gave up my hobbies
of basketball, stamp collecting and the like. By and by my love of plants
outgrew my interest in other aspects of natural history.
I learned a whale of a lot about plant life in my
village. I learned in an intimate way, from keen curiosity, combined with
lengthy hours spent outdoors. I became an expert without even trying, by just
pursuing my inclinations. The principles of life, previously mere broad
abstractions to me, became plainly clear. I saw how environment and genetics,
together, affect life. I saw nature's pace before I'd only considered
humanity's.
When these and many other observations crystallized
in my mind, the result was my sense of having a coherent, logical philosophy. I
felt grounded. From nature study, then, I developed my critical faculties, I
gained practical information, derived inspiration and joy, and welded my
personal worldview. Nature, plus the wise words I'd read from writers of the
past, were my sources. My schooling was typical, all that really sets me apart
is owed to what I did on my own.
This not an unmitigated plus. When one has an odd
perspective, and so sees things in a rare way, communicating with others of
more traditional or conventional outlook can be difficult. For example, if I
believe the soil is sacred, and yet the prevailing assumption is that it is
dirt we're worlds apart from compromise.
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Some people, Buddhists example, revere all life and
will go to considerable lengths to end none. So they won't swat mosquitoes,
don't eat meat, etc. Again, I look at the whole realm of living nature
as one big biological web or food chain, with herbivores, carnivores and
omnivores. As such, I have no philosophic qualms about taking life, I might eat
a catfish for lunch, a lion might eat me for dinner. I do earnestly respect
life, and agree to not wantonly destroy it. But to not squish mosquitoes or
step on slugs is going too far for my sense of practical living.
I would prefer that people based their
philosophies more on nature study and reflection, rather than nearly wholly on
what their parents or influential peers tell them. But the weight of tradition
is on the side of relatively uncritical acceptance of whatever one's mainstream
society believes in.
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The thought processes, and inspiration brought about
by nature, are available to humans who study the wild, or tame nature. Just
having a pet goldfish and some houseplants is better than no experience at all.
And one can have a small garden, not need a wilderness experience, to be fed
physically and mentally. I would go so far as to say humans have an instinctive
need for nature, since we evolved under its influences. So to live, say, in a
cave, with only artificial light, and only human made objects, would be a severe
strain. Along this line, the sterility of hospital rooms is frightful, I am
glad about the emergence of "horticultural therapy" and the like.
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One of my motives in sharing what I've learned from
nature study is to help empower others. Even if a person doesn't find nature
effective for inspiration or education, it is good to "strike it off the
list of possibilities" and go on to sample something else, such as
religion, art, work, etc. Find your love in life and pursue it
passionately.
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