It was October 1, 2010, when I had set my eyes on this one single piece of nature. Walking from the car, as I had just crested the corner I had realized this magnificent beautiful tree all alone standing in the middle of other wild life. The tree stood out not only because it was alone amongst other trees, but because it stood the tallest, as if it were proud to stand solo. Beautiful as it was, I approached it breathing in the fresh air that it had pumped out constantly into the atmosphere. It smelled as if it were baby fresh, as no other did. Standing next to the tree which I had given the name “Arbol”, meaning tree in Spanish, I had realized just how huge it was. The tree’s width is like that of an average full grown tree but it seems bigger since it’s so far away from the other trees with none to compare it to.
Being so close to something that was older than me I felt happy to be in the presence of such a powerful figure. Arbol could teach me so much; just imagine what it has grown through over the years. Grown in Massachusetts rocky soil, and having a college campus built around it I can only imagine what the tree has gone through. I began to wonder what this type of an environment has done to this single tree, stressing it out due to soil pollution, so I found out some facts from brighthub.com. I used the article Causes of soil pollution and what you can do to help, by “Matt Schelke”. The article tells us, “Pollutants can impact soil everywhere. And the effects are potentially disastrous: small chemical changes in soil can render an area inhospitable to plants, virtually eliminating the food chain’s foundation”. This could be devastating to any single plant, if not entire areas of vegetation. Arbol has most likely throughout the years gone through many drastic changes over the past decades. The changes would be shown in the trees rings which develop over years to show a change in environment and how the tree grows. A picture is provided which illustrates the effects of the environment throughout the trees life. Tree rings can not only show the beginning stages of when the tree has begun to grow, but it shows the wear and tear due to the environment that the tree is in also. The picture shows a tree that has been in a forest fire, gone through a rainy season, and dry season. Arbol seemed pretty healthy, and seemed to have grown in a good environment.
Going back to the site at night you can see a massive shadow being cast by Arbol. Overshadowing everything else you faintly see the woodland critters running from the tree trunk to its base, usually an occasional squirrel. It’s the best time to visit, realizing that at night the tree gives a more ominous appearance although it stands alone, with two little developing seedlings underneath it. The ground which the tree stands on is layered with a rich dark green grass like a big open field. Friendly and inviting, I like to sit on the hillside closest to the building of the school so that I can look down at the tree in order to see more of it. When I sit there it helps me to relax, with a feeling of tranquility, being equal with nature. I came to a conclusion that I love nature; it’s just like Henry David Thoreau said, “I love Nature partly because she is not a man, but a retreat from him. None of his institutions control or pervade her. Here a different kind of right prevails. In her midst I can be glad with an entire gladness. If this world were all man, I could not stretch myself, I should lose all hope. He is restraint; she is freedom to me. He makes me wish for another world; she makes me content with this. None of the joys she supplies is subject to his rules and definitions. What he touches he taints. In thought he moralizes... How infinite and pure the least pleasure of which Nature is basis compared with the congratulations of mankind! The joy which Nature yields is like that afforded by frank words of one we love." (Donna L. Watkins blog post Henry David Thoreau Quotes)
The last time that I was to visit my nature site it was a cold windy day. I did not go to part ways with the tree, but to give it a look over once more so that I would always remember it. Being there one last time made me realize that nature cannot be observed in just three sittings. In order to view nature as it is you need to stay a while and relax, because it will be there forever, constantly changing with the world. As I sat there you can see the limbs of the tree swaying effortlessly as strong gust of wind blew. It was as if Arbol was saying his goodbye’s too. To see the tree move gave it an almost humanistic characteristic. Moving in the wind like that Arbol could feel the wind through its branches and leafs. What a site to see, nature coming to life was a beautiful thing. I am glad to have taken part in nature being an observer of the wildlife that was right outside in my own back yard. Being able to take in the beautiful scenery any time I wanted, I decided that I will from now on have a closer relationship with nature as a whole. We live in the world and don’t appreciate the little things that are around us daily. It was so easy to go and just sit with the natural wonders of the Earth as I would just think about life, and observe it for what it was. I embraced the nature spot I chose, and enjoyed it. Knowing that I will go back some day helped me come to a clear understanding that nature will be forever.
Works Cited:
Cause of Soil Pollution & What You Can do to Help Article by Matt Schelke
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/16695.aspx#ixzz12oQxX5Ss
Read more: http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science-environmental/articles/16695.aspx#ixzz12oQxX5Ss
Lori weitzel, Pine Trees, http://ataleoftwoparks.blogspot.com/
Henry David Thoreau Quotes, by Donna L Watkins, http://www.thenatureinus.com/2008/01/henry-david-thoreau-quotes.html
http://www.msstate.edu/dept/geosciences/CT/TIG/WEBSITES/LOCAL/Summer2003/Harman_Pamela/Dynamic%20Earth.html
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