I've written nearly half a million words in newsletters throughout the years. I'm currently reviewing and revising each piece before publishing them here as free posts.
I try to spend time outside every day. Sometimes this is possible. Other times it is not. I know I feel better on the days when it is possible. I like to ride my bike. I like to work in my yard. I like to walk, and I like to sit outside before I go to the office.
Simple things like natural light are essential. There is something calming about watching trees sway, watching squirrels run, or sitting by a river. It is the height of our arrogance as a species that we think we are separate and above and beyond nature. We are nature.
But James, I live in a city. There’s no nature here.
But there is. I live in a city. One of the least attractive cities in the world from what people tell me (we also got voted most boring and worst weather). I disagree with the criticisms, though. I love it here.
And, there’s nature everywhere here in Lubbock.
The weeds in the sidewalk, the endless wind, and the blistering sun are all nature. The dead grass, the tumbleweeds (literal tumbleweeds, like in a Clint Eastwood movie), and the baseball-sized hail are all nature. The people I meet, my neighbor’s dogs that bark all the time, and the dust storms.
All nature.
Everything is nature if we take a moment to be mindful of where everything comes from.
Tables, building materials, petroleum products, and the things that constitute our bodies all come from nature. Everything in this universe comes from this universe. Soundwaves, light, and the air we breathe, all the things we are constantly taking in and exchanging with our environment, come from nature. We are absorbed in and mingled with nature. Our skin is not what separates us from everything else. It is our point of first contact with everything else.
We cannot escape nature because we are nature. Our ideas, ideologies, and philosophies cannot take this away from us, and they cannot protect us from it. What we eat matters. How much time we spend outside matters. Understanding the ground of our experience as a species on this planet matters.
This isn’t to say that the inside of a Wal-Mart is natural or healthy, only that nothing we see in there would exist without nature. Our technological progress often leads us to forget that all we are really doing is rearranging what was here long before us. It reminds me of a joke I like:
A scientist was talking to God.
“You know, we really don’t need you anymore. We can make anything you can make. In fact, I’d bet that we could make a human from dirt like you did if we put our minds to it.”
“Okay, cool, that sounds impressive. Show me,” God replied.
The scientist got right to work, bending down and scooping up a handful of dirt.
“Hey, hold on there,” God stopped him, “I thought you could do everything I can do.”
“Oh, I can, I’m just grabbing some dirt to get started.”
“Ah, I see, I see. I’m going to need you to make your own dirt.”
It goes something like that. This isn’t to knock science. I love science. It has brought many amazing things into our lives, including my ability to write and publish this newsletter. It’s only to point out that all that cool stuff was already here in its natural form. We rearrange nature to make cool stuff, but we have to have the raw materials.
A deeper exploration of this interconnectedness and dependence on nature can bring us a great deal of peace if we allow them to. Consider the prompts this week as you go on walks if you are able. If not, just find a window to look out of. Look around while you drive. Look around wherever you work. Notice your breath. It’s really just about coming into a closer understanding of our constant exchange and place in the natural world. This world was here long, long before us.
Journal Prompts
How many living things are around me right now?
Where did the materials for the non-living things come from?
How much sunlight do I get every day? Can I improve this if necessary?
Where does the water in my house or apartment come from? The electricity? What is the foundation made of? The walls? The roof?
Where do I end, and the rest of the world begins? How deeply can I explore this?
Are there times when I have no interaction or exchange with my environment? When?
Thank you for reading, have a great week.
James
Thanks for reading. I will keep updating these old newsletters and posting them as I am able.