The Wonder Of It All

The wonder of it all

Step by step I move down the well-worn path through the forest, climbing up the gradual incline until the thick brush and trees gives way to several large boulders. Moving around the huge rocks I come to a plateau overlooking a 100 foot deep blue lake. Walking out onto the ledge I stop at the edge standing 200 feet above the azure lake where I can see an eagle flying on the up drafts as he floats effortlessly through the air. Across the lake the lush green forest fades into the horizon. Jutting out into the water is a pier with a small canoe approaching it as the two passengers glide across the water with every stroke of their paddles. My eyes follow the pier back to a small beach next to the pavilion where a group of people is playing volleyball in the sand.
The view is breathtaking at the Devils Lake State Park here in the woodlands of Wisconsin. I wonder at how many people live within 100 miles of this majestic beauty, and have never seen this jewel created by nature from the receding glaciers over a million years ago.
Everywhere around the world there are views such as this that brings a sigh of disbelief as you look out into the beauty of nature at its best. It is a shame that we as a society of civilized people continue to destroy the beauty of nature even in our quest to enjoy it. We leave garbage behind (plastic bottles, bags, candy wrappers, cigarette butts, and so on, and so on). We destroy coral reefs by walking on them or taking pieces as souvenirs. We kill and maim creatures just for the thrill with guns and traps just because we can.
Until we teach our children the value of nature and everything it offers I am afraid eventually the beauty we enjoy today may be lost forever, only a distant memory that will disappear with us when we draw our last breath.

Wouldn’t you do everything you could to save your Mother if she were dying?

Mother Nature is dying, and she is everyone’s responsibility.

April 22nd is Earth Day, all I ask is that you think about it more than one day a year.

Robert L. Murdoch 07/29/09