I make an effort to walk daily around campus or in neighborhoods, but today I slowed down to focus on nature. My walks are typically driven by a goal: complete 2 miles and go home. I realized that I have not been paying close enough attention to all that we are surrounded by. It was a different experience - new sounds, trees, and flowers. Although I was only in a neighborhood, I saw squirrels and butterflies while hearing the distant calls of birds at the Fort Worth Zoo. This made me appreciate walking without my headphones in. My favorite part of the walk was noticing how the sun was hitting the leaves of a willow tree that I walk by regularly but have never stopped to admire.
When I was younger I spent the majority of my time outside. I played outside the second I got home from school until it was time for dinner. My younger self would probably not imagine how much time I now spend indoors. The school year often keeps me in class or studying from when I wake up until I go to bed. I was particularly excited about this class because I want to be more intentional with how I spend my time outdoors.
Most people in my generation, including me, are disconnected from nature. In highly urbanized areas it is easy to spend an entire day in only buildings or cars. This is why so many people cannot see negative impacts on our climate right in front of them. When I took an ecology class last semester I was left feeling uneasy about the impacts of climate change on Earth. I want to find more ways I can play my part to nurture nature and be present with my time spent outside.
