Comments on: The value of the wild http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/ A literary blog on nature, solitude and the search for serenity. Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:39:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: livingaway http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-321 livingaway Sun, 19 Jul 2009 17:14:21 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-321 It's on http://livingaway.wordpress.com/ It’s on http://livingaway.wordpress.com/

]]> By: highmountainmuse http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-319 highmountainmuse Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:38:02 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-319 "Livingaway" - great story, thanks so much for sharing, feeling, understanding... I'd like to keep in touch and "hear" more. Please send a link to your blog! gin “Livingaway” – great story, thanks so much for sharing, feeling, understanding… I’d like to keep in touch and “hear” more. Please send a link to your blog!
gin

]]> By: livingaway http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-320 livingaway Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:55:19 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-320 I get exactly what you mean. Contrary to the things my blog says about me, I don't physically live *in* the Rockies, rather I live *near* them. I say I live in them because that is where my heart is and as we all know "home is where the heart is." I know how people are so uninterested in nature. Every summer, all the girls 12-18 in my ward at church go camping for three or four days. It's a lot of fun and I'm sure we all get a lot out of it, but it still points out many things wrong with our world. I remember my first year camping (I was 12) I and a group of other girls went for a walk in the dark. We heard a rustling off the trail/path/road and all of the girls freaked and ran away screaming...except me and my two friends who did NOT live in the city. Another time some girls decided to play a prank where they played "coyote howls" to scare some of the others a little. The girls who were pranked were so afraid of the sounds (although the track they used sounded like dogs not coyotes) that the girls who played it got in a bit of trouble. The things is, *real* coyotes sound so much more eerie (and beautiful) that I shudder to think of the reactions of those girls should they ever hear real coyotes. I hear them every night. I usually sleep with my window open and although I have too many neighbors that are too close, there is no one across the street anywhere out that direction and that is where the coyotes come from. And I enjoy their song.... (this could be a blog post in itself lol) I get exactly what you mean. Contrary to the things my blog says about me, I don’t physically live *in* the Rockies, rather I live *near* them. I say I live in them because that is where my heart is and as we all know “home is where the heart is.”

I know how people are so uninterested in nature. Every summer, all the girls 12-18 in my ward at church go camping for three or four days. It’s a lot of fun and I’m sure we all get a lot out of it, but it still points out many things wrong with our world.

I remember my first year camping (I was 12) I and a group of other girls went for a walk in the dark. We heard a rustling off the trail/path/road and all of the girls freaked and ran away screaming…except me and my two friends who did NOT live in the city. Another time some girls decided to play a prank where they played “coyote howls” to scare some of the others a little.

The girls who were pranked were so afraid of the sounds (although the track they used sounded like dogs not coyotes) that the girls who played it got in a bit of trouble.

The things is, *real* coyotes sound so much more eerie (and beautiful) that I shudder to think of the reactions of those girls should they ever hear real coyotes. I hear them every night. I usually sleep with my window open and although I have too many neighbors that are too close, there is no one across the street anywhere out that direction and that is where the coyotes come from. And I enjoy their song….

(this could be a blog post in itself lol)

]]> By: highmountainmuse http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-318 highmountainmuse Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:46:54 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-318 Steve, I thought of your comment from last week today (3/15/09) as I had been thinking about your point of the "idea." For most, it's too much work, too far, too.... But rather than be disappointed, I need to learn to accept. I can only change myself. I'm working on it. I'm not there yet. Change seems very far away today. gg Steve, I thought of your comment from last week today (3/15/09) as I had been thinking about your point of the “idea.” For most, it’s too much work, too far, too…. But rather than be disappointed, I need to learn to accept. I can only change myself. I’m working on it. I’m not there yet. Change seems very far away today.
gg

]]> By: itsohappensthat http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-317 itsohappensthat Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:19:38 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-317 Sometimes I think we like the "idea" of things - we like the idea of the outdoors, so we wear North Face and shop at REI. We like the idea of rugged work, so we buy Carhartt. We like the idea of getting off the beaten path, so we buy SUV's to drive to the grocery store. We like the idea of God, so we watch Oprah. We like the idea of compassion and caring for others, so we go on short-term trips and then come home. We like the idea of church, and that's why we complain when church's start to drive their decisions around actual ministry instead of an image of ministry. I could go on, but I think mostly we just don't like the inconveniences that come with getting beyond ideas. Sometimes I think we like the “idea” of things – we like the idea of the outdoors, so we wear North Face and shop at REI. We like the idea of rugged work, so we buy Carhartt. We like the idea of getting off the beaten path, so we buy SUV’s to drive to the grocery store. We like the idea of God, so we watch Oprah. We like the idea of compassion and caring for others, so we go on short-term trips and then come home. We like the idea of church, and that’s why we complain when church’s start to drive their decisions around actual ministry instead of an image of ministry. I could go on, but I think mostly we just don’t like the inconveniences that come with getting beyond ideas.

]]> By: Karen Bailey http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-316 Karen Bailey Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:57:08 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-316 This really jumped out at me, "If the purpose of the wilds is no longer valued for the irreplaceable goodness it provides for our body, mind and soul, then Man will probably put it to another use. " Ughh! I never thought of it like that but living where I do I feel helpless. I was thinking, though, that maybe the decline in the economy will be for the good of the wilderness. Maybe people will begin to remember, even seek out simpler times when we put on our hiking boots and loaded our camping gear instead of our iPods. This really jumped out at me, “If the purpose of the wilds is no longer valued for the irreplaceable goodness it provides for our body, mind and soul, then Man will probably put it to another use. ” Ughh! I never thought of it like that but living where I do I feel helpless. I was thinking, though, that maybe the decline in the economy will be for the good of the wilderness. Maybe people will begin to remember, even seek out simpler times when we put on our hiking boots and loaded our camping gear instead of our iPods.

]]> By: The Nature of Nature « Maggie Mae Farm http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-315 The Nature of Nature « Maggie Mae Farm Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:45:11 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-315 [...] we must protect nature, perhaps it needs to be more clearly defined.  High Mountain Musing has an interesting post about the value of the “Wild.” However, I’m not sure that wilderness is the word I am looking [...] [...] we must protect nature, perhaps it needs to be more clearly defined.  High Mountain Musing has an interesting post about the value of the “Wild.” However, I’m not sure that wilderness is the word I am looking [...]

]]> By: highmountainmuse http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-314 highmountainmuse Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:29:34 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-314 Bravo, Maggie. Very well said, and thanks for the hope! You're right - if we all just share it with one person... help one person open their eyes... hmmm. Bravo, Maggie. Very well said, and thanks for the hope! You’re right – if we all just share it with one person… help one person open their eyes… hmmm.

]]> By: Maggie http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-313 Maggie Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:03:38 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-313 Unfortunately, it is all about perception. I cringed the other day when someone I work with called the Adirondack Park "6 million acres of wasteland." He's a salesman that sells agricultural products, so to him all that "wilderness" is a waste of space. How sad! But don't worry - there are some of us from the younger generation that adore nature, because some grey-hair showed us how special it was... And that is the best we can do - keep showing & sharing the thing we love with others. (Every revolution starts with one person!) Unfortunately, it is all about perception. I cringed the other day when someone I work with called the Adirondack Park “6 million acres of wasteland.” He’s a salesman that sells agricultural products, so to him all that “wilderness” is a waste of space. How sad!

But don’t worry – there are some of us from the younger generation that adore nature, because some grey-hair showed us how special it was… And that is the best we can do – keep showing & sharing the thing we love with others. (Every revolution starts with one person!)

]]> By: highmountainmuse http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-312 highmountainmuse Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:26:32 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-312 yes! you sum it up well. this one's so important, let me know if you think of any "cultural cures." yes! you sum it up well. this one’s so important, let me know if you think of any “cultural cures.”

]]> By: goamwat http://highmountainmuse.com/2009/02/24/the-value-of-the-wild/comment-page-1/#comment-311 goamwat Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:05:07 +0000 http://highmountainmuse.wordpress.com/?p=400#comment-311 Amen. I was blessed with parents who appreciated nature. We went on camping trips, to national parks, rode horses, planted gardens, looked for bugs, etc. It surprises me to no end the amount of people who "don't like getting dirty" or who think of the wilderness as this evil dangerous place full of scary forest and rabid bears or something. It's a shame. I share your sentiments and don't know how to change it. It's an easy blame, but I blame tv and the tv culture. Why make the effort when easy happiness can be fabricated at the touch of a button? Amen. I was blessed with parents who appreciated nature. We went on camping trips, to national parks, rode horses, planted gardens, looked for bugs, etc. It surprises me to no end the amount of people who “don’t like getting dirty” or who think of the wilderness as this evil dangerous place full of scary forest and rabid bears or something.

It’s a shame. I share your sentiments and don’t know how to change it.

It’s an easy blame, but I blame tv and the tv culture. Why make the effort when easy happiness can be fabricated at the touch of a button?

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