When Nature Looks Back

Today I am sharing a column that will be published next month.

"When Nature Looks Back"

By

Rob Claudio

I often have experiences when in the outdoors I run into things that captivate my attention or sometimes what I am looking at makes such an impact, that it provides me with the opportunity to reflect more deeply.  A few days ago after sweeping up some fallen leaves in my patio, I walked back into my living room to take a break.  As I sat there looking outside, I noticed next to my hummingbird feeder that there was a colorful hummingbird with streaks of red and green, sitting on the hanging outdoor patio lights.  At first I thought it was going to be a few seconds before the colorful bird would quickly hover above and take off to other sights nearby, as this is their normal pattern.  However, after sitting there for several minutes I noticed that it would flip its little head back and forth and continued to just sit there and was looking back at me through the glass door.  I have been around these birds long enough to know that they usually zip in and out in a flash and rarely stop for any sustained period of time.  For me it was one of those moments that made me appreciate nature at its finest and then made me think even deeper, as I thought about how nature can take its moments to check in and look back at us.  I am personally in awe sometimes when I am out in the fresh air and run into majestic trees that seem to offer a step ladder towards the sky, or in other instances it can be the display of multiple flowers in a garden or on a path, that paint such beautiful scenery that you believe that it should be part of a portrait hanging in one of the world’s most prestigious galleries.  It is a great gift when one realizes how nature interacts with us if we become observant enough and open our eyes beyond what is immediately in our view.  Think about the times when you are at a beach and can feel the strength in the ocean waves that come crashing close to you.  In those instances, not only can you feel the force behind the endless water horizon in front of you, if you think a bit longer about all of the living creatures in the ocean that make this their home, you can appreciate even further why we must do our best in protecting such precious resources.  For another opportunity to experience nature looking back at you, you should take a whale watching trip or any other boat excursion that can bring you that much closer to the wonders that exist in our living waters that surround us.  Depending on your preference, whether it is water, desert or mountains high up above, there is plenty of beauty in our landscapes that can take your breath away.  Ultimately, we should never forget that we owe our future generations the same opportunity afforded to us as part of our existence while on this great earth.  Even if you think you may be doing something that can be perceived as insignificant to helping preserve our natural resources, do it anyway.  Whether it is recycling, the use of less chemicals with toxins in them or biodegradable materials, you can choose what your contribution can be.  Not only is it the right thing to do, it is our obligation as part of our future legacy.  The next time you are out and about on a clear sunny day or a crisp moonlit night, open your eyes, diminish the thoughts that may be roaming through your head and simply smile and take in the natural beauty that exists where you happen to be.  Appreciate that all of nature was created to make your life experience that much more meaningful and think about how you would want nature to be looking back at you with pride in knowing that you took time to care for it in return.   

 

“On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it.”
-Jules Renard