Kelley Calvin Communicating with Nature #1

Communicating with Nature

All humans can communicate with each other, it's a given. However, how do we humans communicate with other animals or plant life? This is not so easy to understand. While walking along the Nolan Trail it became evident to me that communication is not as simple as just talking to someone. Indeed, one can communicate with other humans through language; speaking. One is also able to communicate with nature by being silent in its presence, by touching nature, or just by looking at it.

I was able to communicate with nature while along the Nolan Trail. I communicated with a bug as I used my hands to shoo it away, and so it did. Without using my words and without the bug using its words, the bug went away. Unfortunately, another bug made contact with me and it ended less joyfully. This other bug landed on my notebook and as I went to shoo it off my notebook gracefully, I ended up crushing the small bug to death. My communication with this bug ended up deadly and I do feel awful about it.

As well, I communicated with other surroundings while along the trail. I was able to understand a tree's suffering by simply seeing it burned from lightning. I was able to see nature getting ready for the cooler months by the changing leaves and all their bright colors. I was able to see that a bird was hungry as it dove to get fish out of a pond.

The Nolan Trail has such a great reputation because of its beautiful nature and scenery. Many people know about the trail because its a storied place of communication with nature, making it the sacred natural wonderland we know it to be. In this place, one can truly communicate with nature in diverse and unique ways, from touching nature to simply being in its presence.