The Undertaking of Discovering the Beauty of Nature

        I’m on a hilltop viewing an expanding forest. To think just a few miles south of my location there are streets, cars, and buildings. This campus has its own little circle of nature to admire. One can only truly appreciate the sight, the sounds of it when the campus ground is dead silent. I hear are leaves rustling, and the howl of the slight breeze. The sky hear always seems to be bleak this time of the year. A white and gray blanket covers the sky. The thin sheet of rain makes it so that I’m viewing the scenery before me through a slight fog.  It’s more apparent as I look north to the forest. I can only make out the outline of the trees. It’s strange. Although I see many tiny rain drops, I only feel a few of them land on my face and hands. Perhaps the wind is changing their trajectory. The air is of course thick with moisture. There’s always that certain scent that a rainstorm emits.

The ground I sit on isn’t the most comfortable place to relax on. I extend my hand out and every drop that hits makes parts of it tingle. Near the campus walkways there’s a line of trees next to it. Then I look at the open playing field where field hockey practice is held and wonder. I wonder about how much of this land before me was teaming with Nature before people came along and destroyed most of it in order to build. In certain areas, only a few groups of trees remain. While I don't enjoy the bitter cold weather, I know someone  who would find some beauty and color in the scenery. Henry David Thoreau would because in his essay, A Winter Walk he only described positively towards the winter cold surrounding him. As he awoke one morning he said "The snow lies warm as cotton or down upon the window-sill; the broadened sash and frosted panes admit a dim and private light, which enhances the snug cheer"(Thoreau). Amidst the unforgiving winter, Thoreau still found warmth and comfort which is a talent that should be envied. Since I can't help but wonder what it’ll feel like when I enter one of the small forests. At the moment, this cold wind along with the dreary weather is making my nose run and giving me a bit of a cough.

            As soon as I entered the cove of trees I heard the snap of a twig. I then suddenly heard a squawking noise, looked up and saw a few nests in the trees. If I had to guess I think that constant noise was coming from baby birds inside said nests. As the birds made noise I heard the sounds of what could have been a squirrel. For some reason, even though these animals mean no harm to me, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy when I was deeper in the woods. I always turned towards a sound whenever a twig snapped. The entrance of the woods had a bit of a pathway and a circular area where there was only brush. I see a bit of trash so maybe the area was frequented by students. Deeper into the woods I could see that the brush and trees got a lot denser.

             I delved further into the woods as more trees surrounded me, branches prodded me, and leaves brushed up against me. The deeper I ventured, the darker it got. Shivers ran up and down my spine and I closed my eyes and just listened. Standing perfectly still, all I heard was the slight rustling of leaves along with the soft moan of the blowing wind. Then there was the sound of wildlife around me. As I listened harder I heard the pitter patter of the light rain landing on the tree branches above. All I did was lose myself in the music Nature was making all around me. With no sight of the bleak scenery, I was content in my little cove of Nature. It’s a whole different story though when night falls because my spot shows an entirely different side of itself.

            Nature shows a different side of itself once the sun sets. The sounds become all the more eerie because of limited sight of what’s going on. The animals that I had heard during the day go silent. Their noises are replaced by the chirping of crickets, the night’s unofficial musician. The tranquility of nightfall transcends even the calmest of mornings. Everything is still, no animal stirs, no cars driving by reminding me of the society near my spot. It was just me and Nature together in the unyielding darkness. The feeling of being alone in the darkness was invigorating. Admittedly, I could not take on the wild if I was alone deep within a vast forest. Although humans have destroyed Nature in order to create, most humans have lost that survival instinct. Most of us can’t survive the unforgiving wilderness without technology protecting us against the elements of Mother Nature. It really makes me wonder but as Charles Darwin has pointed out, we behave similarly to
Nature's inhabitants in some respects. He states this in one of his books, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. One of the similarities is that we both perform certain habits. These "certain complex actions are of direct or indirect service under certain states of mind, in order to relieve or gratify certain sensations, desires,"(Darwin). While our behavior is different from that of animals, we still have impulses  and desires that we want fulfilled. In that regard, there are some signs of similarity between humans and animals. Providing evidence that all living organisms have derived from a common ancestor, supporting the scientific theory of evolution.

            Upon my third and last visit to my spot, the weather was much warmer and welcoming. A nice breeze cooling off my face as the sun beamed warmth upon it. The air was crisper and less oppressive than it was on my previous visits. I sat on my hill waiting for the sun to set, the sky to change from a bright heavenly blue to a mixture of orange, purple, and pink. To pass the time I entered the cove of wilderness I had delved in before. Perhaps it was because I had been there twice before or that it was brighter outside but I no longer felt any fear when the nature around me made sudden noises. On both sides of me there was a constant hum of crickets chirping. The sun had finally started to set and the scenery before me glowed in a hue of pink light. The clouds in the sky were a mix of dark purple, orange, and pink. The honking of seagulls could be heard in the distance. My hopes to see the sun dip beneath the horizon were dashed because the very wilderness I had explored was blocking my view. However the color of the sky above was enough to compensate. Some of these cumulous clouds move so slowly, it looks like as if it’s part of a painting, the sky is the canvas. Below is a painting by Frederic Edwin Church titled Twilight in the Wilderness which perfectly represents the scenery created by a sunset.

Twilight in Wilderness by Frederic Edwin Church (Source: http://hermes.hrc.ntu.edu.tw)

            I reflected on what I saw along with how it made me feel. I came to the conclusion that Nature is a beautiful thing to behold when you are alone to witness it. However the experience is enriched when shared with others. This may sound a bit twisted but I’ve bonded with some of my closest friends as we destroyed Nature. All that means is that we started a fire in a pit with branches and brush. Some of the most memorable nights of my life have been spent around a fire with my closest friends. Ill feelings have been brought out in the open, disputes have been settled, and something new about one another is discovered.          

Experiencing Nature can be an enlightening journey or a bonding experience with friends and family. You just stare off into the distance letting your mind wander. Certain topics are gradually brought up among your closest friends. Topics concerning you, others, or everyone present. Typically when I’m outside in the open, it’s easier to open my mind. It allows me to reflect on myself as a person and those around me. Revelations, epiphanies are to be had just on the top of a hill watching the run rise or set. To be discovered while you close your eyes and listen to the environment around you. Nature however doesn’t always provide the most comfortable environment so that these thoughts can be brought out into the open.

            On my first visit to my spot it was a dreary oppressive Tuesday afternoon. The weather had a great effect on how I felt. The dark gray sky shedding only a bit of light upon the landscape before me but making it look very hazy. This was caused by a sheet of light rain. This further added onto an already gloomy stroll through Nature, the environment all the more devoid of warmth or comfort. The fact that I was all alone doesn’t help in the slightest. I imagine that if the weather conditions had been different, then my mood would be as well. If the clouds had parted slightly, letting beams of sunshine break through, shining upon my face, a smile would have spread across it. The sunshine would reinvigorate my motivation to absorb as much of the scenery as I could. However, since Tuesday’s dismal afternoon persisted, I grew tired of observing leaves and branches in the cold and headed inside.

            I do not wish to imply that I do not enjoy the rain all the time. It’s just being alone in the rain is un-enjoyable not to mention depressing. If you’re with a friend who also likes the rain then fun times can be had. Certain aspects of Nature can only be enjoyed or appreciated depending on what is occurring, where you are, and who you’re with. Having a small fire pit surrounded by Nature and friends is one of the most under appreciated things to do. However, meditating on a rock as a waterfall makes natural music as it splashes on the rocks behind you is an activity best done alone.

            Despite all of the praise I’ve given Nature, I can’t help but feel I, like most, have taken it for granted Sure we can all appreciate the sights of the redwoods in California, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but yet we still destroy. Imagine if the population of California grew so large that some of the redwoods had to be destroyed in order to make space to build homes. A reassuring reality is that whatever damage we do to the planet’s natural works of art can be repaired once Nature outlives us all. Until then, these frequent visits to my spot will inspire me to view the most beautiful sights Nature can offer. Perhaps if we all do this and fully comprehend the magnificence of the scenery before us, we’ll help to preserve it for future generations.

Works Cited

Thoreau, David. A Winter Walk. October 1843. Thoreau-online.org. Web. 17 Oct. 2010

Darwin, Charles The expressions of the emotions in man and Animals. United Kingdom: John Murray 1872. Darwin -Literature.com. Web. 16 Oct. 2010.

Church, E. Frederic. Twilight in the Wilderness.Literature and Culture Teaching Database . 2004. Web. 18 Oct. 2010.