Into the Wild by Miranda SheaA question we grappled with all semester that when stated, seems l

Into the Wild by Miranda SheaA question we grappled with all semester that when stated, seems like one with a rather simple answer: “what is nature?” Even now, the answer is multifaceted, and very much open to interpretation. It doesn’t take much to conceptualize that we are, at a base chemical level, connected to the world around us, those both sentient and not. It would seem a mistake to remove oneself from the equation and ignore that the entire essence of humanity relies upon cohabitation with the other factors within the entire global equation. So while we grappled with these concepts, we ventured out into the wild to get better acquainted with the world around us.For me, camping has always been a bit of a coin toss. One side of myself utterly enjoys delving into nature and getting a bit more in touch with it and having to relinquish the utilities and conveniences I’m accustomed to. The other side struggles with not being able to remove myself from “nature”, or rather the smell, the dirt, and the inconvenient sleeping arrangements. I find myself wanting escape back into the welcoming arms of civilization. However, even when I find myself longing for the comforts of the known world, the return to them leaves me longing for an escape from the very same.Our first excursion was out into the bush land, about three hours inland from our home base of Brunswick Heads, Australia. We squeezed ourselves, as well as all of our gear into busses, and drove out near Tenterfield; a town that seemed stuck in the early days of the European settlers. The coast faded away behind us, the palms and emerald green fields turning into scrub and brush as we entered Boonoo Boonoo National Park. Over the course of the three days, we were there we hiked, swam, tried kangaroo, and talked about philosophies and ideologies, both western and native revolving around that crucial nature question. We hiked up to The Pyramid, the second largest monolith in Australia, scaling an almost vertical rock slope, swam in tea tree lakes, and meditated at mountain peaks overlooking miles and miles of the Australian landscape. Overall, the experience left me on the first side of that coin, immersed in the experience, and itching for more.On our second camping trip, our class journeyed to Bundjalung National Park, staying at the Black Rocks camping ground. The beach only being a brief walk away, a creek around the corner, and the seclusion of hedged in campsites made for a gorgeous area to set up our camp—in the rain. Grumpy and frustrated, I longed to leave and end the trip right then and there. I decided to try and enjoy the moment regardless. An adventure! I told myself. And then I came down with a terrible headache. My frustration mounted, and I craved a cup of tea in bed and a hot shower, not to mention some NyQuil.We then went to meet with a man called Uncle Lewis; an Aboriginal leader whose family was born on the land we currently inhabit. He wove a tale of his elders, of the stars and the sea, and of how we are not so separate from the world, and how we are not so separate from each other. I went to bed that night, head pounding not just from a headache, but also with many thoughts about the words the man had spoken. Back in Brunswick Heads, with my phone charger and my pillows and my bath, I found my relief to be short-lived. Despite my frustration during that second trip, the moments of peace and connectivity I found were not present in my daily life. Even now I extend my gratitude to Uncle Lewis for his wisdom, and for his invitation to his land, and letting us, even if only for a moment, enjoy the splendor of his world. We never really found a concrete answer to our question. But what we did find is that the concept goes much further than the dictionary definition. The time that we did spend in places where human influence did not have as strong a claim, were the times where we came closer to understanding that regardless of how we define it, the flora and fauna of this earth require our assistance, as our entitlement to the earth’s resources is not at all sustainable. -- source link

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