Having always considered Fall my favorite season, this current Spring may be changing my mind. Virginia Woolf wrote “I enjoy the spring more than the autumn now. One does, I think, as one gets older.” Perhaps that's what it is? Getting older? I suppose it could be.
I took my first class with Brooklyn Brainery last week on Tree Identification. It was a great experience mainly because (besides really loving trees) I love the whole idea behind the Brainery: shared knowledge. The woman who ran the class was not only knowledgeable about forestry, she was passionate about trees. It had no connection to her day job in the least, it was instead her hobby and passion, the class giving her an outlet to share with people like me who have an interest but no knowledge. The strongest impression the class made on me was exactly that--I was thankful to participate in the community that exists among people who have knowledge to share and those eager to soak it up. It is such a beautiful idea and celebrates the appreciation of all that we can learn from other people.
The other thing I took away from the class was that the first step of identifying a tree is to take note of its details. Clues like bark and the pattern of its leaves speak to what type of tree it is, however, I'm more focused on the first part: take note. Its easy to lose sight of the nature surrounding you in a big city. Something about the buildings and the people and all of the activities to get lost in doesn't put 'nature' and 'New York City' in the same sentence. However, by seeking it out and taking note of the details, it is amazing the sense of nature that you can feel here. It takes a bit more effort than being confronted with trees everywhere you turn in a place like Oregon, sure, but it is there if you have the intention to seek it.
The trees that line the streets of New York are survivors. The less-than-ideal conditions they live in make them pretty impressive. The parks that dot the city become each their own small oasis for a clear mind. And now--with everything in bloom and bursting with color--is a wonderful time to stroll the park, visit the gardens and take note of the details of nature that exist at every turn. I think that is the most wonderful aspect of Spring: the ability it allows for us to find ourselves again in the beauty of the world around us.
sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love --e.e.cummings
No comments:
Post a Comment