“If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore; and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown. But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
I can’t read the works of authors from ye olden times without marveling at how different our language today is, and how we’ve dumbed it down even further with our text shorthand and emoticons. I also can’t read anything that might be considered a classic without a dictionary, but that doesn’t really bother me–it just makes me feel stoopid. Like the people who really think stupid is spelled stoopid.
I wonder sometimes, if RWE was raised in our culture today, if his essays on nature wouldn’t be reduced to, “Nature is kinda cool. Stars are sparkly. And boobs.” Or if he would have been too distracted with technology and television to bother writing an essay on nature at all.
Typing the name of this website pains me. credit: icanhascheezeburger.com
I read some RWE before I went to my Mom’s last month. They live in the country, and I starting thinking about how long it had been since I have seen a night sky, unpolluted by city lights and sounds.
It’s been at least 3 years.
So after reading some of his essays, I was inspired and I vowed to go out and enjoy some nature while I was there.
And I tried, I really did, but when everyone had gone to bed and I went outside to take it all in, nature quickly put me in my place.
Of course I had my phone with me. It doubles as a flashlight and prevents me from ever truly enjoying solitude. The glow from the screen attracted every bug in the vicinity and they flew at my face with delight.
I turned it off, and it was too dark to move. I sat on a bench on their back porch; my original plan of taking a blanket out in the field to star gaze was quickly discarded. I looked up at the sky and I didn’t see any stars, just darkness and my own sweat burning my eyes.
The sounds of the frogs in the pond behind their house were loud and overwhelming. The cicadas joined the chorus and between the bugs and the nature symphony it was more aggressive than peaceful.
I thought to myself, “Nature sucks,” and I went back inside.
Today, I am taking my daughter out to the ranch for the first time. My brothers will be there with their kids, and they want to camp and fish, and do ranchy things. But, I’m worried that K is not quite old enough to handle nature. I’m also worried that I don’t really like nature that much anymore.
I remember the camping trips from our childhood and my dad would spend a lot of time packing and preparing for them. He would bring a trailer full of camping gear: tents, cots, sleeping bags, fishing gear, cooking supplies, food, drinks, and meal plans. He was an Eagle Scout–the man knew how to plan a camping trip, but I suspect my Mom had a hand in most of these upgrades. He probably would have been content to camp with a sleeping bag, a fishing pole, and a case of beer. He would set up a porta-potty, mostly for my benefit I suppose, but duecing in the woods probably isn’t really fun for guys either. He did what he could to make camping more comfortable for us.
He would go down there the week before our trip, mow the campground and spray industrial strength bug spray in the trees and the grass so that the ticks were at least minimally controlled.
But we’re going down there with no prep, no real plan, in the hottest month of the year in Texas.
I don’t plan on camping, we’ll be staying at my grandmother’s old house, but I’m still nervous about what lessons nature will have for my daughter and I in the next 24 hours.
I’m sure it will include lots of sweat, river water, ticks, mosquitos, and scorpions.
Wish us luck.
Good read! I am, however, reluctant to comment and type something stoopid.
I type something stoopid in just about every post, so I’m glad you pushed past your reluctance! Thanks for commenting!
Love this post. Where’s the tip jar?
Glad you liked it! The comment section is the tip jar
I feel bad now because my essays general go “Nature is kinda cool. Stars are sparkly. And boobs.” I always thought I was being very poetic.
I literally read something he wrote and that’s what it said. He’s not lying.
If he was summarized in Cliff Notes, I think that would be the gist!
I think you’re pretty poetic. I turned duece into a verb which puts me right up there with Emerson…wait, it doesn’t?
And Boobs.
Never feel stooooouuupid using a dictionary – carry one around in your purse! Like the Oxford English Dictionary – all 21 volumes. But seriously, it’s good to expand your mind by looking up words.
I’m a word-nerd and grammar fiend – today’s texting stuff bothers me; but I have to remember that language is ever changing and at the very least, at least people are WRITING -
Nature hates us being there – it’s a fact. That’s why bugs are annoying. She knows better than to make us truly comfy in her area else we ruin it. The world knows best – so I try to follow its example.
Great post – run from scorpions!
That is true, at least people are writing! I think you are right about nature hating us being there. The only scorpians I saw were dead already, but I still ran.
Wise move
Well, at least you’re giving it a try, which is more than I can say for myself. I enjoy nature when there is a beach involved. Or a bug-free environment.
I think what you said about the dumbing down of writing is true. That’s why I still love to use “big” words sometimes. But mostly in my blog, and mostly in a humorous way and not a pompous way. Otherwise I’d just sound like Frasier. Hmmm, maybe I already do…
Oh, I meant to add: great post!
Hahaha! I like your big words, and I think you do a great job of not using them in a pompous way.
I was going to try to respond to this using a big word, but none came to mind. Which pretty much shows my brain is in a constant state of flux. But thank you.
Oh – and BOOOOOBS!
Great Post – love the Cat Pic – our cat growing had no qualms about rolling in the piggie manure – ewww! Happy Monday:)
Ewww! Bad KITTY!
The boobs reference will probably net you thousands of viewers for this post, coming in from search engines.
Nature is better when the bugs and poison ivy leave us alone, which isn’t often, unfortunately.
Oh boy, I didn’t even think about the search terms. I already get some pretty classy ones though, so adding boobs to the mix should be interesting. Nature kicked my butt again on this trip.
Nature can be a vicious pair of boobs sometimes, but I still love her. At least I’m trying to love her. My husband is hardcore–loves to backpack and fish, tells me stories of waking up elk on an early morning hike and all that. Me, I like the part where you look at the pretty scenery and sit around a campfire with a drink in hand.
That is my favorite part too!
I “no” what you mean about wondering if you no longer like nature… I went from a New Hampshire – Maine – vermont country girl who has hiked over 50 miles of the Appalachian trail to a Boston city dweller who wonders why my moms yard is so dark and is afraid to sleep on the ground level anymore!
(PS the folks who use “no” instead of “know” make me sad.)
Hahaha, it’s funny how that happens isn’t it! I guess I’ve just grown accustomed to the comforts of not being in nature. Using no instead of know also makes me sad.