Bret Marfut natural setting Noland Trail

Our walk on the Noland Trail several weeks ago gave me interesting perspective on the communicative qualities of nature. I have spent a lot of time outdoors in my life, but I was a bit skeptical about actually trying, as we were instructed, to communicate with nature. I had not idea how to go about communicating with something that could not talk. I decided to just sit and observe nature. The place at which I chose to sit was a small platform created by the roots of a tree along the river. From my spot, I was able to look out over the river and watch the animals. I saw a heron, along with a lot of other birds. The most interesting interaction I had, however, was with the tree against which I was sitting. The tree was fairly large: Given the size, I would guess that it was probably a few hundred years old. As I sat there, I began to think about what that meant, and it put my own life in perspective. That tree, to me, was just another part of the woods. But that tree has stood through so many events, and been a constant through so many changing times, that it’s really me that is the insignificant one. I know that I tend to think of things in terms of how they affect me, and I think that is probably the case with a lot of people. However, When I think about the extent of what is out there in the world that I will never see, like this tree if I had not been given an assignment to go try to communicate with nature, I realize how insignificant I am compared to the world. My walk on the Noland Trail helped me to understand the meaning of communication with nature.