HUMAN NATURE
I am honored to be a guest on Nick’s website. Through Nick’s character “Catwalk,” he examines what it means to be human. I’ve been toying with this idea as it relates to nature. If you think about it, the most enduring literary metaphors, idioms, and analogies are tied to nature.
Two of my favorites are “a shallow brook babbles the loudest” and “still waters run deep.” Not only do these help when canoeing, but they also help me keep quiet when I’m trying to make a good impression. “Cold as stone,” can be used to describe a villain who has put his victims “between a rock and a hard place.” And, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” is as applicable in the woods as it is in the board room. “A rising tide lifts all boats” was coined by John F Kennedy in reference to the economy. When it’s performing well, all people benefit.
Most great literature, from the Bible to Shakespeare, teaches, entertains, and imparts wisdom through references to nature. Lucky for us, nature has not fundamentally changed, so we can still understand what early authors meant to say. But, technology is changing and advancing rapidly. New words are appearing all the time to describe our machines. Will these last? In a thousand years, will a reader understand a reference to a CPU any more than our kids now understand a reference to a coal chute? Machines do not last and they will not link humanity through time. Nature is what links humanity to humanity. Sadly, our kids are losing a connection to nature.
I once attended a camp fair to promote “Memory Lake; The Forever Friendships of Summer.” I displayed a bowl of pine boughs, trimmed from the white pine in my front yard, to draw kids to my table. The woodsy scent enthralled them. Most kids brushed the soft needles across their cheeks, mouth and chin, then asked, “What is this?” I explained it was a cutting from a pine tree. “What’s a pine tree?” they inevitably asked next. I immediately engaged the parents in a discussion on the merits of sending their kids to camp. Privately, I thought, how else will these kids ever understand, “Straight as a pine, sturdy as an oak?”
From squirrelly to foxy, an understanding of nature links us to our past and our humanity. Even when it’s cold outside, wisdom can be found in taking a walk in the woods. So, put your plans on ice, knock the dust off your walking shoes, fluff up your feathers, and get outside.
I’m Nancy S. Kyme, the author of “Memory Lake, the Forever Friendships of Summer” a 2012 Next Generation Award Winning memoir. When childhood friends plan to meet at a camp reunion thirty years after their adventures together at summer camp, a fun, inspirational journey begins in which the reader is immersed into summer, youth, and the warmth of meaningful friendships. Present day challenges and past outdoor adventures are woven into an unforgettable tale of friends overcoming fear and grief through joy and laughter. Author’s blog: www.campfirememories.
