I’ve said before, here on Camping with Five Kids, how I enjoy watching the seasons change in the Northeastern part of the United States. I feel there is a subtlety of change in nature no matter where we live. And we need to immerse ourselves in it to be aware of our surroundings. To be aware in life.
Here in the Poconos, the leaves in springtime are a softer green, more translucent. The overstory, the tallest trees, fill in first in the forest. They capture the sunlight and filter it to everything below. New leaves have a velvety touch to them. Soft as a baby’s cheek. The shagbark hickory’s compound leaves, with smaller leaflets attached to a main stalk, broaden slowly down by the lake. The tulip poplar trees that grow on the side of the mountain start with smaller leaves in spring that grow into the larger catface leaves we see in summertime. Pale green nubs dress the tips of spruce and pine trees.
After the hyacinth, tulips, and daffodils bloom, the Lily of the Valley come up, their tiny snow-white bells ringing out the fragrance of life. I eagerly bring some blossoms into my home, to fill it with the sweetness of life.
This rebirth, this revitalization of nature, fills us with spectacular wonder, no matter how old we are. The newness around us helps us remember how life moves forward, with hope. As rainwater fills small streams as they burble and tumble over rocks and fallen logs, refreshing the forest floor, making the earth dark and rich, smelling like a freshly turned garden, we can wash ourselves in the rebirth of spring with kindness to others, kindness to our planet.
Each day, there is something new to discover in nature. The eastern bluebirds come back and start chattering to each other. They fight over my birdhouse. The house and purple finches come home and eat from our feeder. The red-winged blackbirds return to the lake. Birdsong fills the forest, the yard, with music. The barred owl calls out “who-who-who-all-who-cooks-for-you” at night. We remember that we share this earth with other creatures. We are the caretakers. We have a responsibility in this life. To cherish it.
When we make ourselves aware of our surroundings, of the people in our lives, we can notice when nature or people require our assistance. Nature does not stand still. And neither should we.
Nature can regenerate, if we are lucky. But that takes time. Much, much more time than just one season. Will it be exactly the same? Probably not. It will be different. Yet, different doesn’t need to be bad. It needs to be hopeful. We can regenerate our life relationships, our interactions with others, if we wish. We need to remain hopeful for humanity.
Do you like to watch the seasons change? Do you explore forests or mountains or merely watch from your armchair? There are NO wrong answers here, dear blogger friends. Even if you just watch the plants and trees transform and animals prepare for seasonal change, you ARE a part of nature’s mystique. You are alive and aware of your environment.
This is a positive thing. For only when we look outside ourselves can we truly understand the need to treat our world and other people with kindness.
Please share any experience you may have, watching or exploring nature, in the comments section of Camping with Five Kids. Then why not take a friend who needs to discover the beauty of nature, the peace of nature, and go outside for a bit of fresh air. See what’s changed since you’ve last looked. Enjoy the difference!