“We must, however, reflect on what is happening. It is an urgent matter, especially for those of us who still live in a meaningful, even a numinous, earth community. We have not spoken. Nor even have we seen clearly what is happening. The issue goes far beyond economics, or commerce, or poetics, or an evening of pleasantries as we look out over a scenic view. Something is happening beyond all this. We are losing splendid and intimate modes of divine presence. We are, perhaps, losing ourselves.”
Thomas Berry
As I began to write this post I became aware of how often I talk about going to the natural areas and the spiritual impact they have on me, as if nature is some distant place I must travel to. The reality is I live in nature, it is all around me, our city is built within nature. I too often fail to remember I live in nature, because I can easily get lost in the chaos of the city, overwhelmed by the buildings and noise we create. My thinking, and in many ways society, suggests we are to look elsewhere for those intimate modes of divine presence of nature. This shows a thinking of society’s separation from nature. I feel sadness, as well as anger, knowing that we are taking places of natural beauty, even if that’s a farmer’s land, and making it into a housing development, shopping mall or warehouse. We change the natural area into concrete, asphalt jungle that has almost no resemblance to its previous existence. I see where we are losing splendid and intimate modes of divine presence to the hands of investors for their financial gain rather than setting aside a farmer’s land as a natural sanctuary. I pray we, which also includes me, can change this way of thinking and believing. End of rant. Clouds have moved in and the wind has picked up as we await rain.
8 Comments
Faye White
It’s true, nature exists all around us; not just in the wilderness. Wilderness… that’s a funny word when you look at it. Ha! “Wilderness areas usually lack roads, buildings, and other artificial structures.”
Anyway, hope you enjoy your Friday.
Monte Stevens
Thank you, my friend! I am in Denver at the moment for an eye appointment. My eye doctor and the neurologist in Fort Collins cannot seem to find a reason for my episodes of double vision and at times blank spots. I’m really early so I think I’ll journal. Have a super Awesome day!
Faye White
I hope you were able to get some answers today. Have a good weekend.
Monte Stevens
They ere able to see the eyes lose their alignment as I had an episode with them. That was strange as they just do not happen very often. They suspect the muscles to get confused and not work well together at times. They took a blood draw to look for antibodies that could be causing that. The last I heard my son was doing good.
Earl
I hope it’s possible to carry a part of the spirit of nature within ourselves or maintain a connection with the environment, even when surrounded by buildings and busy streets daily. We as humans are part of nature, so feeling apart from it or outside of it seems to be denying a part of ourselves.
Beautiful blues and complimenting yellow/oranges in this photo, Monto. Nice! Have a good weekend.
Monte Stevens
Yes, we can deny ourselves. In fact too many people live their lives in denial. I think there’s a book titled “Denial is Not a River in Egypt.” I like that idea of carrying the spirit of nature with us. I had to drive to Denver today and so glad to not have to live in the larger city. It’s just not for me.
Mark
I have a post in draft with similar thoughts. It is a difficult situation to reconcile for me. You might be willing to be happy for the farmer who worked hard his entire life, sold the property to live comfortably in retirement. But then how many restrictions can you place on the person who bought it? Does the municipality now benefit with more tax revenue so they can create more benefits to their residents? There is a lot to think about, all while nature will be watching reminding us if we go too far.
Monte Stevens
I’ll be interested in reading your post. You are spot on in the fact there is a lot to think about.