When the lights of our civilization shine so brightly, we lose sight of how beautiful the stars really are

Upon reflection, I have discovered I am a bit more in touch with the natural world than many of my friends or peers. I consider myself a camp girl, no I do not claim to be ignorant to the products of our society and culture, I enjoy my i pod and social networking as much as any teen, however I do have an appreciation and respect for the world outside of mainstream society that I have been surprised to learn that many do not share. I believe in the equality of all things the whole notion of "for out of the ground we were taken as dust, and unto dust we shall return." I am not saying I do not feed off the commercialized products and food from our fellow animals, as humans, we have turned our cheek to the fellow-ship of animals--honoring them in zoos and in natural history museums, however it is how we are acustomed. We are so enveloped in society it is not possible to live free of culture and society-- but perhaps, dear world, we are traveling to far, to close to the stark realities which Darwin made possible in his writings, that we have taken a path too close to that of our relatives Adam and Eve, that perhaps we are making so much progress that we are losing sight of something very important. I agree with Thoreau--our great walker--who said that we shall not be at home just in our land which we own, but we should be"equally at home everywhere" that "no weath can buy the requisite leisure, freedom, and independence" (thoreau) which nature can provide for us. This natural earth, there is something about it, it has sustained us for so long, yet we cannot be quick enough to make it more and more artificial. And what will happen then? Thoreau also suggests that the "absolute freesom and wilderness [is] contrasted with a freesom and culture merely civil" (thoreau). Human culture and civilization is completely different than the natural world. The freedom we believe we are making for ourselves with our computers and technology is perhaps desensitizing us to the natural world which has supported us and been sustained for so long. The more knowledge we gain, the more insatiable we become when perhaps the most pure happiness exists where we are simply observers in the world, enjoying what is natural. I would give up my commericialized world to live at camp and in a "bubble" from the reality of culture in a heartbeat. The most beautiful times I have experienced have been when cut off from technology and from society. As humans are working harder and harder to improve life with advances we are destroying the balance in life and the gifts nature present to us. Thoreau states in his time that "all man's improvements...make it more and more cheap" (thoreau) and humans have only continued to create artifice and strive in a direction to make them the most advanced, most intelligent, most dominant species. We are striving close to Darwin's idea that people shall not reproduce if they will put their offspring at a disadvantage, and that things shall be ennineered for the good of the progress of humans as a species. But the further we get wrapped up in our artificial world, the more difficult it is to go back to the communion which lies burried underneath our dominion. The more we build our species up, the more we lose touch with the beauties of nature and being.Thoreau asked humans a question "When we walk, we naturally go to the fields and woods: what would become of us, if we walked only in a garden or mall" (Walking)? We have let Thoreau down, there are people who find their piece among the commercial centers, pacing under the bright lights and among the music and hustle of the world. If we walk in malls, we are infusing ourself with malls and allowing ourselves to be bound by society. While I love my trips to these places as much as any teen, you must stop and wonder where you are going and remain in touch with where we have been. Is the success for our species putting ourselves into an artificial isolation which we view as one of the elite beings of earth, or is it to be in bliss with the things around us? Luther Standing Bear offers an idea of what has happened to our culture in Nature, he talks about how when the white man came to the americas, he had such a different view than the natives. "The white man has put a distance between himself and nature; and assuming a lofty place in the scheme of the order of things, has lost for him both reverence and understanding" (Bear). In the 1930s, Bear knew of this tendency, and where society was heading. I do not think it is possible for us to abolish our progress, it is of human nature to continue to search and look for more--perhaps a curse remaining still from Adam and Eve who ate from the tree of knowledge, however, we cannot lose sight of the true value of our roots. We cannot let the lights of civilization shine so brightly that we can no longer see the beauty of the stars. I might not be able to succeed in being a complete naturalist, but I am a naturalist nevertheless in that I can see the flaws in society and I choose to try and better myself by keeping a connection still with the natural world. When I have been upset or lonely, I am one to go outside and lay by the creek under a tree and listen to the wind blow. Sometimes I wish that another person would have the sense to come find me and keep me company and then I realise that the strength I find in nature must be my company. When humans fail on me I shall always have the earth. Bear says that his native people "learned to sit or lie on the ground and become conscious of the life about us in its multitude of forms." We must know that life will be traveling in every direction, possibly we may become an advocate and try to stop the path of society, but for starters, we are each responsible to kindle the connection we have with the world above the responsibility to change the path of society. Why do you laugh when I say I went and sat under a tree looking at the sky for an hour? Is it that silly? The form of life you have connection with is not as broad as mine, and maybe one day you shall be able to kindle it, I hope for your sake, but to me, nature has a beauty and an awe which you must be a fool not to realise. I do not say go rid yourself of your posessions and live off the grid, simply, take the time to learn about nature and its beauty and then while tending to the many forms of your life, do not let one step over the other and block out the awe of the sun, stars, moon, and wind.