Joanna Marple inspired me earlier this morning with her wonderful blogpost featuring suggestions of how individuals and families can commemorate Earth Day. I urge you to check out her post “Earth Day: Let’s Celebrate our Wonderful World!” (I do hope you’ll come back here after you’ve read her post, though!)
I will be blogging in more detail about “looking” next month as we explore “Other Ways of Seeing,” but for now I want to give you just one thought for Earth Day…
Whether you live in the country or the city, near a forest or beach or on the landlocked prairie, there is something of the beauty of our earth that you can have access to.
My mother loved to encourage people to look, to really look at things. She often said “Here in Saskatchewan, the beauty doesn’t hit you in the face the way it does in the mountains or at the coast. Here, you have to look for the beauty.”
That’s what I want to suggest to you today, to look, to really look all around you. To see the beauty in the small things as well as the large and magnificent. Go for what I’ve dubbed a “Look and Listen Walk” and truly pay attention to everything. Look and really see. Listen and really hear.
Then come back and tell me about it. Will you?
Photo of Prairie Anemone (colloquially called Prairie Crocus) taken by my father, Raymond W. Stilborn, when he was in his late 80s or early 90s.
I love your “look and listen walk” concept, Beth. We are often so hurried, or distracted by the music we are listening to, that we miss many of the beautiful sights and sounds around us. One of the things I liked so much in Bev’s book, “Wild Orchid”, was the possibility of discovering some of Saskatchewan’s hidden natural treasures! Gorgeous Prairie Crocuses peeping through the spring grass!
Thanks, Joanna! I went on some wonderful walks looking for wildflowers and wild strawberries and small hints of beauty with Bev’s parents. And that just reminded me of a poem I wrote about those walks once. I must find it!
What a great idea! I usually take a walk each day, and I am going to take this idea with me as I head out this afternoon (despite the drizzle!).
I’m delighted to hear that you’re taking the idea and walking with it! Enjoy your walk (despite the drizzle — that will just make you feel as if you’re back in England!)
HI Beth,
Thanks for stopping by Main Street Arts. I don’t do Facebook, but I’m now following you on Twitter (@darbyandbrian)
I’ll be checking in regularly!
My wife and I just wen to a wonderful art gallery open house, and came home to our beautiful home in the “rain forest” of central Virginia!
Hi, Arthur! Thanks so much for returning my visit. Your twitter site intrigued me — wish I could see Darby and Brian perform! I’ve followed you back.
Your afternoon sounds lovely. Thanks for sharing!
This post is so lovely Beth!
I feel so incredibly blessed to live in a place where the beauty does “hit me in the face,” every time I walk outside. Maybe I’ve trained myself to feel that way–who knows? But when I wake up in the morning and walk outside, breathe in a HUGE cleansing breath of the beautiful Texas Hill Country, I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be. 🙂
Mmmm, that’s wonderful, Natalie! I can just imagine the scent of that air.