Jake Frasier - Landscapes of the Sacred; Active Wilderness

“But if are patient you become gradually attentive to the way aging juniper trees speak to the rock, how wind whispers along canyon walls and morning sunlight dances on yucca plants and Mormon tea.” pg. 57

To most people nature is full of inanimate objects that do not interact with us; however, this is not the case. Nature is extremely lively, we just have to be patient and observe our surroundings. For example, the bristling of a tree’s leaves or the whistling of are ways that nature communicates with us. Patience is a key part of interacting with nature. There have been instances when I’ve been outside lying in the grass and felt at peace just watching the clouds and listening to the birds. As soon as someone experiences the serenity of the wilderness they can see how truly alive nature is. People often personify nature in literature because they have had some connection with the wild. They see nature as a living entity capable of interacting with its surroundings just like humans do. People judge their opinions of places off of the experiences they had there. If their experience lacked any true interaction with nature, that is to say nature’s reciprocal interaction, then they may not think of that place as special. However, when one is engaged by nature’s tranquility then they will have a lasting memory.