Marie Steinheiser: Topic of Choice #1

Gary Snyders essays try to help motivate individuals to contemplate the places they find sacred. Through his writings you see that he understands how one can enjoy and embrace nature, but still make the most of its resources. A hiker finds shelter from the elements underneath trees, campers utilize the trees branches for fire, and the animals gather scraps to make a nest. The use of these resources are not disturbing nature, but rather allowing it to help you. A person that embraces all that nature has to give to them should be praised for truely taking part in nature in all its glory. The wilderness is not fragile, it is capable of standing strong. While we must embrace natures resources, we cannot take advantage of its kindness. Our modern world has engulfed nature in our technology. What constitutes nature anymore? A trail that has phone wires running through it's trees? A forest that is surrounded by a cement road? This is our nature now. We may find some solitude in the wild, but we're never too far from civilization.