Texts and Treks (#10)

     Looking back on this semester, I feel like this course allowed me to connect with nature and the people around me in more intentional ways. Within the classroom, I was able to make new friendships and have bonding experiences that impacted my life for the better. I think that going on treks to canoe or the nature center, no matter what circumstances arose, brought our group closer together and allowed us to escape our lives for a while. Everyone in our class came from a different backgrounds and majors and we were all able to come together to work on a single cause. Many people in our class I lived within in Milton freshman year so it was sweet to be able to come together again and make memories in our senior year. We all have changed so much and it is exciting to connect later in our college careers to see where we all ended up. I also got to make new friends through my project group and make connections that extend out of the classroom. I think this course was an amazing opportunity to grow with a group of people and reflect on our lives through the experience of nature. We were inspired by a range of authors and able to view the world from a new perspective. 

    On one of my final nature explorations, I took two of my friends back to the spot I went to for my first exploration. Every Sunday after church we get food and then go on a walk along the Trinity river. Since we were walking that direction, I wanted to show them the quiet spot I was able to enjoy. We sat along the river and just enjoyed the environment around us. We were able to share stories and experiences about college and life in general. I think nature is a great way to spend time with others and build relationships. You can share meaningful moments and reminisce on what they mean to you. You can see beautiful skies, plants, animals, and really get to enjoy the world around you with other people. You can play outside, do sports, host, parties, or just enjoy a simple moment of rest. Nature is the biggest venue for our lives and allows us to fully be alive in it. I enjoyed this little moment with my friends and hope to have more moments of exploration in the future.