along the trail
ms
cattails aflame in sunlight
field of candles
John O’Donohue in his book Beauty asks a couple of questions about landscape that cause me to smile, to pause and wonder. He asks the following questions: “Could it be possible that landscape might have a deep friendship with us? That it could sense our presence and feel the care we extend it?” These questions may never enter the minds of some, especially for those who ravage the landscape for profit. To them landscape is an object to consume that has no reasoning, intelligence as we do. These questions may seem like a waste of time because our ego has convinced us into believing we are the ultimate of all creation, and for many are playing god themselves.
I have not always believed in having a friendship with the landscape as something more than an object. Maturity, drawing closer to the end of life, and experiencing the landscape with more than my physical senses has brought on this change. Sharing in this friendship with the landscape is the reason I have spent more time within it. I want to protect, respect and care for this friend of ours. I like how O’Donohue is asking us to be open, moving beyond our finite thinking. How different would our world be if we treated the landscape as our friend that wants to be our friend?
6 Comments
Faye
You’ve captured this scene perfectly. I love the lone tree and the details of the grasses.
Monte Stevens
Thank, my friend! At this point on the trail silence begins to surround me as we are now distancing ourselves farther away from the bustle of the city. Beyond this group of cattails is a nice sized pond. In warmer seasons there will be red-winged blackbirds everywhere and singing their “conk-la-ree” songs and whistles, all music from nature. The tree has a red-tailed hawks nest in it so I got to watch them this past summer and hopefully next year. This is my favorite sanctuary. Have an Awesome day and stay warm!
Earl
Lovely photo. I’ve always liked Cattails.
Monte Stevens
Thanks, Earl!
Mark
Quite the profound discussion. As much as I’d like to think the landscape welcomes me as a friend, I often consider it a rather ambivalent one. It’s arms can be open and welcoming, but the resulting benefit one achieves from the relationship seems to come from within.
Monte Stevens
Yes, Mark, it can be ambivalent, as can many people. I believe there is a need for us to move beyond the five physical senses of experiencing nature to more of that inner sense, the soul, spirit or whatever ya wanna call it. Nature is more of friend when I experience it more from within, as you say. It is cold this morning. Spent some time at the nature area and very slowly warming up. Seems my within is chilled. 😁