Soaking up Nature with Sanchi

           Writing this final post has actually made me quite sad. I enjoyed drafting these posts as they provided me with an opportunity to express my views and share my thoughts and opinions with my classmates. The response process with everyone also provided a much-needed social interaction that was lost due to the pandemic. Yet I will not dwell upon what is coming to an end. Instead, I will reflect upon what I have learned about my development as a nature interpreter. In particular, how is my personal ethic evolving, what beliefs are influencing me, what do I view as my responsibilities, and what approaches are most suitable for me as a nature interpreter? The highly divergent views expressed by my classmates in their blogs has illustrated how important individual life experiences and circumstances are in forming their opinions, thoughts and views. Sharing our individual experiences has helped us collectively expand our horizons. So how has this influenced me?

          Everyone has an ethic that influences the way in which they approach a task or respond to an issue. Ethics are referred to by the Government of Canada (2015) as “a way of living” that people use to justify their actions based upon what they deem right and wrong and just and unjust. The moral judgments that individuals make are not something that can be taught but is something that they need to cultivate. An individual’s ethics can continue to develop and change as people grow and learn valuable lessons over their lives. The beliefs that I have, the responsibilities that I feel, and how I go about addressing situations are all rooted back to my individual moral ethics.

My parents are two of the most important people in my life. A lot of the moral ethics that I have now are because of them. They have instilled values in me that shape every action I do. Photo taken by Brooke Murphy (my sister)       

       I believe that humans tend to take things for granted and we tend to not understand how truly valuable people, moments or objects are. I think that nature is one of those things humans undervalue. 

Quickly take a second and reflect on how vital nature is for your survival.

 Humans require nature for food, places to exercise, to find inspiration, and improve their mental health. That is why I believe nature interpretation is so vital. It helps enhance one’s appreciation for the natural world. Personally, the pandemic took a toll upon my mental health. One of the ways that I have been able to recover is through interpreting nature. Nature brings me this sense of calm, making all the anxieties, which tend to overtake my life some days, disappear. The significance nature plays in my mental health recovery is why I believe that nature is so vital as the benefits it has tend to go unnoticed by most.

I started really understanding how important walking through nature was for my mental health in 2017 when I started to develop severe anxiety. This photo is around the time my anxiety was becoming extremely bad and I was going on frequent walks just to try to feel calm and I found nature was able to help me find this calm.

         Given how positively impactful nature has been on my life, I feel responsible to serve as an interpreter for nature. I do not necessarily want to be a formal nature interpreter, but I would still like to be a nature interpreter through my day-to-day actions. The natural world has helped me immeasurably and improved my mental health. That is why I feel responsible for helping to improve nature’s physical health by discussing endangered species, climate change, and other pressing environmental issues. When I graduate, I plan to pursue a career in teaching and use the concepts that I learned in this course in my career. I learned that effective communication is essential! To educate an audience about nature, I need to be able to effectively communicate to an audience in both an engaging and inclusive manner in order to appeal to their moral ethic to act as stewards of the earth! 

Freeman Tilden says…..

 “we must not tell one what they can do, but what they should do and not what they must be, but what they can be”. 

I believe that in order to do this I will need to tailor to my audience how I present a topic. In the course and textbook, the notion is discussed that how people interpret and connect with a presentation will be influenced by presentation style. Understanding and customizing each presentation to address each audience’s different learning styles is critical and my responsibility.

           I feel responsible for being an effective nature interpreter, not just for nature, but also for the individuals that I am presenting to. I believe and feel everyone has a right to be included and that no one should be made to feel as if they are not welcome - speaking from experience. As a nature interpreter, it is my responsibility to ensure that everyone can engage comfortably with an issue or concept that I am discussing. As a person who suffers from social anxiety, I can relate to the difficulty of group engagement. I know that as soon as my anxiety begins, I start to zone out and cannot remember anything. To ensure that this does not happen to others, I would give consideration to making people feel physically, mentally and socially safe. Doing this will help to ensure that everyone is given the same opportunity despite what they have and lack in their “invisible knapsack”.

I remember I was super anxious this day and was very quite during this tour/experience. The tour guide picked up on it and in front of the whole group made me come and kiss a stingray for 7 years of good luck. This gesture made me feel so included and special that I stopped feeling as anxious and began engaging more. Highlighting how important it is to make sure everyone feels included and has the same opportunity to learn. 

          I find that humour is one of the best ways to present a concept as it makes people more engaged and relaxed. Adding humour to my presentation, while effectively articulating my point, makes an experience more engaging and memorable while creating a sense of joy and calm. I use humour often in my everyday life. Humour helps to lighten the mood and make experiences more enjoyable, I also find it helps reduce my anxiety, which is an added bonus.

          This course taught me that there are many ways to be a nature interpreter, present a topic or write a blog. The diverse means of completing different tasks allows us to add our own values and beliefs to everything. Therefore, when someone wants to use different approaches, teaching styles, and so on, that is 100% okay! The ways that individuals choose to work in the future will be effective regardless of the style, as long as they stay true to their morals, beliefs and values.

As long as you stay true to you the impacts you can have and the lessons you can teach will be unmeasurable! 

References 

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore Venture Publishing LLC.

     Oh, reading your post just made me even sadder that this class is coming to an end. I have had so much fun blogging and sharing with you guys, but as you said, we will not dwell on the past but rather congratulate ourselves on how far we have come and what we have learned along the way.

     It was nice to learn about your personal ethics regarding nature interpretation and who has helped shape you in your life. My parents have also had a huge positive influence on my life, especially concerning moral ethics. They are both such hard-working souls, inspiring souls. 

(PERSONAL PHOTO: My parents & I enjoying a village trail walk at Blue Mountain. DATED: November 14th, 2020). 

     I see you also made a point to mention social anxiety and how you understand the difficulty of dealing with that on some days. I just wanted to reach out and say that I personally relate. Therefore I am super impressed that is something you chose to involve within your final blog. As you have mentioned, you are absolutely right; we do not all feel things the same, but it is essential to make everyone involved, especially in more extensive group settings. That is what nature interpretation is all about—the beauty of learning and sharing your experiences with others. I know I have done a little bit of reading about social anxiety in the past just because I wanted to learn more about controlling emotions when feeling anxious in social settings. 

     If you’re ever interested, I recently came across this page at the beginning of the semester. It discusses seven different tips and tricks to control social anxiety :) (Casarella, 2020). 

LINK → https://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/tips-for-living-with-social-anxiety (Casarella, 2020) 

Overall, once again, great post, Abigail - great chatting with you! Good luck with the rest of your semester.

Sanchi! 

Reference:

I want to start off by saying thank you guys for the great semester!  This course has been one of my favourites I have taken in my undergrad.  I am so grateful to be able to have these discussions with my peers to help make the time through Covid not feel so alone.

I remember being thrilled when I first found out we were making a Tumblr instead of just posts on a discussion board.  Probably because in 2014 I was on Tumblr all the time so it took me back to looking at my old posts I used to make on my personal account.  I was also excited that this course was going to let me be able to take all my passions and put them together. I get the scientific aspect that most of my courses are but I also get to take my passion for writing, poetry, photography, and the arts in general.  This balance let me continue to learn about myself and grow as a student.  It also allowed me to look into future career paths including not only nature interpretation but potentially scientific writing.

For this week’s prompt when it comes to personal ethics and nature interpretation, I wanted to first look at some of my own ethics in general.  That includes the following traits:

Loyalty

Empathy

Respect

Honesty

Equality

Humility

Selflessness

Integrity

These qualities I use in everyday decisions including the actions I make.  These are extremely important to look at because they help shape your leadership role whether that is through school, work, or a simple interaction. Through these qualities, my leadership type would be a mix of the Visionary leadership style as well as the Servant leadership style (Indeed, 2021).  This means when looking at the Visionary leadership style my qualities of optimism, innovativeness, being magnetic, risk-taking, and being strategic can help bring change by inspiring others and earning a deep-rooted trust (Indeed, 2021).  

On the other hand, when looking at the Servant leadership type my qualities of personally caring about others, excellent communication skills, and empathy can help those around me feel personally fulfilled and raise morale (Indeed, 2021).  Being aware of your leadership style is crucial.  It allows me to be self-aware of my strengths when working with others and to be mindful of my weaknesses that come with them. For example, when looking at the Visionary leadership style I know I think “big picture.”  I now know to be careful to not skim over small details that I could potentially miss and balance not only my future-orientated goals but my current ones (Indeed, 2021).  Also, when looking at my Servant leadership style I now know to now burn myself out with others’ emotional needs and am also learning to be more authoritative (Indeed, 2021).

What is your leadership style? Watch this YouTube video to figure it out!

So you might be wondering, what does this have to do with nature interpretation? 

As I mentioned before, figuring out who you are as a person is important when looking at nature interpretation (Hooykaas, 2021).  Your strengths, weakness, and problem-solving skills make you the person you are today.  It essentially helps you figure out the question, “Who Am I As an Interpreter (Hooykaas, 2021)?” It not only helps with that question but also how to lead depending on your audience (Hooykaas, 2021).  Even though I know my “go-to” leadership style when it comes to different situations, I should be able to adjust it depending on what the problem is.  By also being aware, I can understand others’ leadership styles to be able to make a more cohesive team experience.

Have you ever had a time where you needed to change your approach to a situation because of someone else’s problem-solving approach?

So let’s take my personal ethics and apply them to nature interpretation and working in the field.

Cait’s Guide to Ethics and Applying Them to Real Life:

Loyalty: I will take pride in my work.  I will work as hard as I can and work to the overall success of my place of work.  I will always put my best work forward.

Empathy: I will take others’ concerns and thoughts into consideration.  I will actively listen and ask questions about others’ problems.  I will not make presumptions about others.

Respect: I will treat others with kindness.  I will encourage others to express their opinions and viewpoints.  I will listen to what others have to say before expressing my own viewpoint.  

Honesty: I will keep my word and deliver on my promises.  I will keep to my commitments.  I will take responsibility for my actions. 

Equality: I will include everyone.  I will identify and prevent any unconscious biases.  I will be aware of any indirect discrimination.

Humility: I will apologize when I am in the wrong.  I will acknowledge other’s limitations and strengths.  I will appreciate other’s contributions.

Selflessness: I will learn to let go.  I will practice giving things I want for myself to others.  I will get out of my own head.  

Integrity: I will be respectful during conflict.  I will be a positive example.  I will practice accountability.  

This code of personal ethics allows me to bring my own set of guidelines to the nature interpretation field.  By doing this I have a certain amount of responsibility to uphold.  If I did not uphold these guidelines it would ruin my self-esteem, self-worth, and self-image.  Not upholding your personal ethics, in general, makes you question your morals and who you are as a person.  It is important under all circumstances to remind yourself who you really are and do what is best for your own being.

Have you ever had to go against your own morals?  Why did you have to? How did it make you feel?

All the best with the rest of the semester,

Cait :)

Here’s one last picture of me at Lake Laurentian Conservation Area!

References:

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 10: Nature Interpretation’s Role in Environmental Sustainability [Course Website]. University of Guelph Courselink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2597605/View

     I really enjoyed reading into your personal ethics as a nature interpreter; you did a fantastic job explaining your stance! I also cannot believe our semester is already coming to an end; it seems just like yesterday we were just creating our blogs. I want to add I was also very excited when I found out we would be using Tumblr as our blog source because, just as you mentioned, it takes me to the memories of years from 2012-2015. I distinctly remember using Tumblr as one of my main social media outputs through most of my high school career, yet - that feels like forever ago, right?! Haha.

     To answer your question, there have been a handful of times when I felt the need to alter my approach to certain situations. As most people know, everyone approaches problems differently. Therefore from past experiences, I have learned that it is better to come to terms with a compromisable agreement to a problem rather than only to see things from one perspective. For example, I feel as though I sometimes have issues with my parents due to their different upbringing and complex ethnic beliefs. Therefore, I sometimes have to turn the other eye and just let them approach situations the way they do because they can be very hard-headed sometimes, haha. I also realize that my parents approach problems differently due to their experiences in life, and that is something I cannot underrate. Therefore those experiences usually come back to tell me that my approach is not as efficient. 

     In keeping this post-light-hearted, I wanted to post a video from one of my favourite YouTubers, Lily Singh. This video is regarding the struggles and compatibility for kids with ethnic parents, in this case, Indian parents, haha. She takes a fun spin on things, so I hope you enjoy it!

LINK → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BxbaVjnMSM (Lily Singh, 2016). 

     Overall, thank you for your insightful post on nature ethics. I am glad to hear this class was able to tie in with your everyday decisions. 

Sanchi :) 

Reference:

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll probably know that I’m one of the unlucky few who wasn’t born with the itch to interpret nature. Although I suppose, the itch for nature interpretation doesn’t have to be something your born with, it can be something you develop over your life. That said, a part of nature that I have always been fascinated by has been bears.

So, how did this fascination with bears begin? Looking back many years, I think my first exposure to bears was through the TV show The Bernstein Bears (2003 – 2004). I can vividly recall watching reruns of The Bernstein Bears every day after school when I was in kindergarten. Needless to say, if I remember something from so long ago, I think it’s safe to assume that it’s something that deserves to be explored! Looking ahead many years, this fascination with bears was only further exacerbated upon the release of the movie Ted (2012). What stood out to me the most in both these media representations of bears was their interpretation of bears as human-like beings.

A great example of this is the video linked below in which the family of bears in The Bernstein Bears go to the movies. I encourage you to have a watch and share your thoughts (iVideoXD, 2010, 0:00-5:28)!

What are bears? Bears (of the family Ursidae) are stocky, bob-tailed mammals with 5 clawed toes on each paw (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2012). The three species of bears that inhabit Canada are (The Canadian Encyclopedia, 2012):

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus).

The grizzly bear (U. arctos).

The black bear (U. americanus).

More information about bears can be found here (National Geographic, 2021).

This photo was taken the first time I went exploring in nature. I remember thinking how lucky I was to see a dear in person (as can be seen in the photo), almost immediately after I put away my phone, I saw a bear! Caledon, ON – Photo taken by Agam Verma.

How does one interpret bears? It is important to note that the interpretation of bears, and by extension nature as a whole, is contingent on the expertise of a number of disciplines (Hooykaas, 2021). As a matter of fact, in the past, humans have been able to interpret bears via zoos, wildlife parks, camps, etc. (Beck et al., 2018, p. 32-33). All of which, have allowed each individual to foster a more harmonious relationship with bears, and by extension nature!

A polar bear and two cubs photographed on a melting ice cap (NOAA, 2019).

Let’s look beyond the traditional methods in which bears can be interpreted. Currently, the concept most applicable to the interpretation of bears would be climate change. Climate change looms as a threat to communities and safety on many fronts (Beck et al., 2018, p. 459). Within the context of bears, it is quite evident that climate change has endangered a number of bear species. As a matter of fact, the IUCN lists six of the eight bear species as vulnerable or endangered (Bear Conservation, 2017).

So, what can we do to help mitigate the effects of climate change on bears? The answer is simple, keep track of your impact on the planet! This will not only aid in mitigating the challenges we face with climate change, but also allow for bears to not go extinct. Thereby, enriching the history, cultural heritage, experiences, diversity, etc. of those who choose to be interpreters.

More information about how you can help save bears, in this case polar bears, can be found here (Three Ways You Can Help Save the Polar Bears, 2020). Have a read and share your thoughts!

References

Bear Conservation. (2017, August 20). The IUCN. http://www.bearconservation.org.uk/the-iucn/

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 09: Sense-making of nature interpretation [Course website]. University of Guelph CourseLink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca

iVideoXD. (2010, April 13). The berenstain bears -go to the movies (1-2) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dz6djl2NaY

National Geographic. (2021). Bears. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/bears-grizzly-polar-panda

NOAA. (2019, June 27). Polar bear and two cubs on ice floe [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/EvIesJmuDHs

The Canadian Encyclopedia. (2012, March 5). Bear (animal). https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/bear-animal

     I just wanted to start by saying exciting post! I enjoyed reading into your perception regarding your fascination for bears and how that has progressed over the years. I must say, there are quite a few things in your post that caught my attention! First being the adorable close-up of the bear GIF- how could you not love that?! Second, your mentioning of Bernstein Bears, which was one of my absolute favourite shows growing up, including the books! I also loved the movie Brother Bear. Have you ever seen it? I watched it when I was younger with my brothers; it is a cartoon movie about a young cub who learns tough life lessons while on a journey with his family (I won’t give too much away in-case you have yet to see it!) I’ve added a couple of GIFs (for visualization) and a link below in case you want to have a look for something fun :) 

(GIFS/ COPYRIGHT OF TUMBLR)

BROTHER BEAR LINK→ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328880/  (IMDb, 2003)

     Additionally, I enjoyed your adventure in nature, including the picture of the deer. However, I can’t believe you saw a bear right after snapping that picture; that is so freaky but cool! I don’t think I have ever come across anything that interesting on my walks in nature. 

     After reading your post, I was curious about expanding my knowledge and saw that you posted a link on how to help save the polar bears - so I had myself a little read. Thank you for including that link; to share my thoughts, I learned many resourceful tips about polar bears and various ways to help benefit their future, such as volunteering programs in a few places in Canada, including Manitoba, as well as volunteering in the Arctic. On accounts of less dramatic approaches, one can also raise money for environmental charities and reduce their carbon footprint. 

     I am sure you are up to date on most things about bears and do your fair share to help. However, I came across a little fundraiser site I thought you might be interested in as well. It contains many bear support groups, fundraisers and helpful directions on how and where to get started. I found the extra helpful tips on ways to fundraise to be super easy to do! This had me thinking; it could be easy for most probably too, so why not share? Anyways, I will leave a link below for that as well. 

BEAR FUNDRAISER LINK → https://freethebears.org/pages/fundraise  (Free The Bears, 2021). 

(GIF/ COPYRIGHT OF TUMBLR)

     Overall, thanks for an excellent post! I feel as though I learned quite a few knowledgeable things about bears. As I hope I was able to add some fun and helpful information to your fascination for bears.

Sanchi! 

References:

Free The Bears. (2021). URL: https://freethebears.org/pages/fundraise 

Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?

An article quoted in this week’s content called “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music” was way too similar to the questions that we are asking this week to not read further (Gray et al., 2001). What I learned from this article is the intersection between music of humans and animals. The connection between composition of whale sounds and human music is so similar in: length, repetition, rhythms, rhymes and more. 

The same occurs with birds, their songs mimic the same scales and pitch of Western music. 

The article also discusses the changes that environment impacts human music, that “[p]eople who live close to nature perceive a wider range of sounds than those of us living in industrialized societies, who rely heavily on advances in sound technology.” They also explain the instruments found made of bone that resemble today’s recorders but are from 50,000 years ago. The material though makes me wonder, if it is made of bone, is it a sound of nature? If we connect to the Indigenous knowledge that we discussed in this week’s content, we are also a part of nature. So, the music that we create, is IT nature or is it IN nature? I think both.

Some artists that connect nature and music

A Tribe Called Red

This band is a group of Indigenous Canadians that create Electric Pow Wow music and their performances often feature traditional hoop dancing, which is a dance that tells stories by creating animals and symbols (nature). The first video in this article tells you about the band members and why they do what they do. I was able to see them at Hillside Festival in Guelph back in 2018 and it was so powerful and so fun. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/a-tribe-called-red  

Bjork

This MTV article describes “Biophilia” a tendency to focus on life and it’s processes and the title of Bjork’s 2011 album. Her music is influenced by science and sounds of nature. http://www.mtv.com/news/2694814/the-sound-science-of-bjorks-biophilia/  

What song takes you back immediately to a natural landscape?  

The answer to this is a bit of a weird one. The song that I can think of with the most outdoor memories attached to it is Cheerleader by OMI. This song came out the summer of my first whitewater canoe trip along the Madawaska River and someone in the group came on the trip with it stuck in their head and it became the painful anthem of our trip. Somehow that song is associated with all the emotions and memories that I associate with that trip. The feeling of conquering a rapid that we weren’t sure we would make without dumping, in the pride and pure joy of making it we would sing the song to each other. I also remember being so distracted singing and carelessly going down a portage that I walked into a branch and cut my forehead. The time we sang it most often were the hours of paddling between rapids. It’s the afternoon, your feet are soaked, the sun is hot, arms aching from the same motion over and over again. The view of the reflection of the yellow canoe on the water and the sound of people singing intermittently to keep up the mood. It’s a different feeling to sing a song when you know that there’s no one else around to hear you but the friends singing along with you.

image: This is a photo of me and my paddle partner taken by a group member on the canoe trip described above.

I listened to the song again now as I wrote to remember the feeling, except that it’s the memories of the limited lyrics and altered version that we sang and not the recorded song that means anything to me.  

I don’t have many songs that I connect with natural landscapes because usually I don’t listen to music when I’m in nature. Anyone else?

- Jasmine

References

Cowie, D., (2018). A Tribe Called Red. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/a-tribe-called-red

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The music of nature and the nature of music. Science, 291(5501), pp. 52-54. DOI: 10.1126/science.10.1126/SCIENCE.1056960

     Great job on your post overall! Your title was actually what had drawn me to your post in the first place, “Music and Nature - one in the same?” - very eye-catching and relatable! I also enjoyed your cute GIF of the bird! 

     I wanted to touch upon a small point you made. I agree with you- I also believe the music we create is both in nature and apart of it. The beautiful thing about both of these arts is that neither of them has to be directly created by anyone in order for either to be used effectively (Hooykaas, Unit 7).  That statement really resonated with me in this weeks work, so I thought I would pass it along :)

     To answer your question, I cannot say that I relate to not listening to music when in nature. I love listening to music when I am on walks and runs. I also love having the speaker going on barbecue nights, beach gatherings, and all sorts of fun outdoor events! I feel like music mends connections between people due to its radiancy. In my experience, music can shine a positive light in a lot of settings. Music is beneficial in many aspects, especially around others and in nature. However, I do understand one’s love for the natural music within nature itself. Therefore I will not argue that one should always listen to other harmonies that intrude on the natural ones. But I will say that “music draws and focuses attention to increase receptivity to a message.” (Beck et al. 2018) In other words, I believe music can enlighten times in nature; maybe you would enjoy it if you tried a playlist that was a tad more instrumental? :)

     I found a little blog that you may be slightly interested in if you ever decide to dabble with the idea. It’s written by a girl named Mikaela Larsson, who talks about her favourite songs to listen to while taking strolls in nature (Larsson, 2017). She talks about how it can be therapeutic to have that time with yourself, which is a healthy perspective (Larsson, 2017). I will leave a link below if you want to have a look! 

LINK → https://www.gojauntly.com/blog/2016/11/9/10-of-our-favourite-songs-to-listen-to-while-walking-through-nature 

     Once again, great post! You had a lot of integration with this week’s unit, along with many relative articles and thoughts as well :) 

- Sanchi 

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage (First Edition). Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC. 

Hooykaas, A. (2020). ENVS* 3000 Nature Interpretation Unit 7: Nature Interpretation through Music. URL: https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2593375/View

When I first read the quote written by Edward Hyams, that we were given this week for the blog prompt, I was intrigued and thought about all of the things that exist in our lives that have been here longer than us. An example can include an old forest with very large trees that have been around for hundreds of years. We do not know exactly how much older they are than us, but we can estimate and also the significance these trees may have on others. From this, I was very interested in knowing what was one of the oldest trees. So I did a google search and found out that The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus Longaeva) is the oldest tree in the world (Price 2021).  Here is a link to the website, that you can read more about!  

“Pinus longaeva-Great Basin Bristlecone Pine” by campsjc is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Reading at the quote brings up a lot of questions, but not as many answers. Such as, what ancient things have been scattered through time, and what time span are we talking about? This can include 100 years to 1,000 years or maybe only 20 years. Another question I thought about, was what things in history have lost their meaning to people and are now just some random thing? Also, what role does nature interpretation plays in history? I believe nature interpretation can bring a story or message to others, to understand the history and the meanings behind what is being told. Also, there are many educational advantages to interpreting history according to the textbook  (Beck et al., 2018). We ourselves have a deeper understanding of what is being interpreted, extending our knowledge greatly. Another thing I learned from the textbook, was that we interpreters can relate history to people’s personal lives  (Beck et al., 2018). This relation can get a stronger interest from the audience.

There are so many things that have been part of our lives since we were children or since our grandparents were children. I believe each thing, holds a sense of belonging or is dear to our hearts. This quote is a perfect example of the way I and others see the history of many “ancient things”, and definitely opens my eyes to see those such items in a new light. For example, the kitchen table at my parent’s home looks like a normal wooden table and chairs, but it isn’t. This table was passed down from my great-grandparents on my mom’s side, and was the first table they bought in Toronto when they immigrated from Italy. Both of my great-grandparents are not around anymore, however, I was very fortunate to have some memory of my great-grandmother when I was a child. This table’s history holds a special place in my heart that I shall always remember my great-grandmother and the start of a new journey for my family.  

Picture of my great-grandparents kitchen table. I took this.

Question Time! What is an object or place that holds historical significance that you are connected to? How do you see nature’s interpretation’s role in the world of history?

References

Beck, L. T., Cable, T. M., & Knudson, D. U. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Campsjc. Pinus longaeva-Great Basin Bristlecone Pine [Photograph]. Creative Commons. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

     I just wanted to start by saying great post. I love how you intertwined your idea of the history with an old tree and then your family’s significance to your grandparent’s table. That was a unique spin on your post that I enjoyed. I also wanted to say how beautiful and authentic the table looks - very neat! :)

     To answer your question, I have a gold ring passed down from my grandfather. My grandfather, whom I only met once, gave my mom this ring when he passed away about 20 years. It holds great significance to me, considering I never got to develop any relationship with my grandparents. The only grandparent I ever got to meet was him—he’s the one whose ring I wear on my hand every day. I was about three years old when he passed, and I vaguely remember his face while he was lying on the hospital bed. He held his hand out to call me over, and I guess he placed the ring in my hand. My mom kept it safe for a long time until she passed it down to me just a few years ago when she thought I was deemed responsible enough anyways, haha. The real significance behind this ring is the engraving on it. It is engraved “Krishna,” which is actually my grandmother’s name, who I never had the honour of meeting. So basically, every time I wear it, it feels like I had the pleasure of getting to know both of them. It’s almost like a safe and reassuring feeling when I put it on. I don’t actually have any pictures of myself wearing it, but I do have a picture of my mom wearing it. I am going to place an image below :)

(PERSONAL PHOTO: My grandfather’s and grandmother’s gold ring - engraved “Krishna.”)  

     This ring made its way all the way from Delhi, India, to Wasaga Beach, Ontario. That is why older or “ancient” things can hold meaning. That is also why the meaning of an item can increase its significance over time.  Who knows? Maybe if my grandparents had never had it first, it might not have meant as much to me.

Anyways, great post! I hope I was able to answer your question in full detail!

   Hey guys!

     I hope you have all been having a great week! I can’t even begin to explain how hectic mine has been between school, commuting, and full-time nurse at home to my sick boyfriend. Wow, 2021 has already been such a crazy year!

     For this week’s discussion, we were assigned to unravel this hefty quote. In my opinion, this quote can unravel in numerous ways, mostly depending on each person’s perspectives, values, and beliefs. In my eyes, the voice behind this quote intends to explain how life is one big building block. I will explain this quote in sections, so it is easier for you to follow my thoughts!. First, I want to start by explaining the second section; “to think or act as though the past is done with is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.” Every invention/creation that has ever been made or discovered has helped to the continuous creation of life’s beauty. For example, the idea of evolution. The idea that life was created through the invention of science. The notion that humanity began with a monkey is apart of the theory of evolution.  This theory has panned out for hundreds of thousands of years, and it was an escalated build-up. I’ve attached a small article below from National Geographic regarding the Theory of Evolution, in case anyone wanted to get a better idea of what I was discussing in my example! I also included a picture below that shows the development of evolution over time and the growth behind each stage in humankind’s progression. 

ARTICLE LINK → https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/theory-evolution/  (National Geographic, 2021) 

PICTURE REFERENCE: (Alen, 2015)  

     Many people say the past can be erased; however, I believe the past is something to be learned from, so you should never forget your past. Every day that goes by, it is normal for humans to make mistakes. However, most people do not understand the difference between leaving a mistake (memory) behind and learning from that same mistake. It is normal to feel resentment over past mistakes, but you cannot re-wire your thoughts to believe those mistakes never happened. One must face the past, whether the reality is harsh or not, and move past it healthily. Life is purely made up of moments, moments of which are a creation of life. Some of the world’s best discoveries occurred naturally, such as gravity. My overall point is that, through the build-up of moments, they create what we have today. 

     Now working my way back to the first section quote; “ There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things..” I am not one to say there is definitive meaning in everything old or vintage, but there is value in things beyond our capacity or our handling. The particular knowledge we find upon ancient items such as (referencing science again), dinosaur fossils can lead us to educate ourselves about things that we once did not know existed. The discovery of fossils opened up numerous doors to evolutionary science, and now that part of science is spread to students and educators all over the world, such as myself. 

     Overall, I believe this quote holds such deep meaning to it. It can be interpreted from so many different perspectives, and I chose to go with the creation of life and its moments. I cannot wait to read and hear what everyone else has to say. It is always so lovely to get assignments like this once in a while, so you can read everyone placing their creative energy into their work! It makes it for a more exciting week of blogs :)

QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS:

My question for you guys is, what examples did you guys find useful in explaining this quote? Did you use any examples at all? I would love to understand your thoughts and how you guys described this quote specific to other comparisons.

Reference(s):

Alen, S. (2015). Theories about the origin and evolution of Humans. Short History. URL: https://www.shorthistory.org/prehistory/the-origin-and-evolution-of-man/

(PERSONAL PHOTO// Kettle Point, March 7th, 2016).

In my post, I used a similar analogy, except it was about keeping evidence of extreme weather events throughout history. This is because we would not be able to draw links to the pressing issue of climate change without it. Understanding the correlation between the frequency of past climatic events compared to their frequency today is a key piece of evidence to support the fact that the climate is changing globally. Since historical records confirmed that we’ve been heading in a dangerous direction in terms of our carbon footprint, we’ve been able to react appropriately in the last decade. Innovations such as solar panels, wind turbines, and tree planting have been some ways that we are mending the damage done to the ozone layer - innovations that may have never been created if not for our past knowledge of the environment (Brooke et al, 2019). In addition to this, I used an analogy for why maintaining integrity is essential. The analogy I used was that it is important we preserve academic integrity in school because as adults, we would end up not retaining any of the knowledge we were supposed to learn in school, since we cheated. As a result, when you go into the workforce, you may not have the skills you need to do your job successfully - skills that you were meant to have learned before. Therefore, it is essential to maintain integrity in how we document, and refer to history. Mainly, so history doesn’t repeat itself, as you stated.

 I hope these helped deepen your understanding of the quote a bit more!

Since we were granted a free week to blog about any topic of our choice, I decided to use this opportunity to share how nature has been my escape, especially during a global pandemic. This time has definitely been strange and difficult but living with my two best friends and their puppies has made it easier. 

This is a picture of my two roommates and their two dogs during one September evening when we decided to go and sit outside on a blanket. Photo credits - My phone’s self timer camera.

I wanted to share some of the ways my roommates and I have been incorporating nature into our lives during this pandemic, while remaining safe and socially distanced. An activity we have recently taken up is painting. We wanted to find activities that do not require us to look at our screens during the evening, since this is what we do all day for school. These activities have been really great because it allows us to exercise our creative sides, but it also acts as a stress relieving activity. I have found myself mainly painting pictures that involve nature in them because nature brings me a feeling of peace and comfort, similar to painting. I often paint beautiful flowers I have seen on my daily walks or beautiful views I used to experience on vacations before the pandemic. Painting pictures of nature and things that I love helps me emotionally and physically during these times. 

This is a picture of my friends and I painting during quarantine in April, 2020. I painted a picture of my favourite flower called the “forget me not” flower. Photo credits - me.

Nature has played a major role during this pandemic because it feels like one of my only escapes and ways to find peace. I often go on walks around our neighbourhood, on scenic routes in downtown Guelph and in the forest behind my house. It is a good way for me to get out of the house, get some fresh air and experience a change of scenery. 

This picture was taken on one of our walks in Downtown Guelph. Photo credits - me

This picture was taken on our walk in the trail behind our Guelph home. Photo credits - me. 

Another interest we have taken up since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020 is plants. I have accumulated a total of 19 plants in my room and will most likely continue to grow this collection. It is nice to have plants in my room because it is something to care for and it really livens up my room. 

A picture of my roommate and I after we bough plants from a store in Downtown Guelph called “Plant”. Photo credits - My phone’s self timer camera  

Another activity we participate in is going on long drives in the countryside and singing to loud music or having long conversations. When we really need to get out of the house for stress relief purposes and the weather is too cold, this is the perfect activity. It’s a good way for us to release some stress from the hard school day and enjoy some music. Long car rides are one of my favourite activities because it forces me take a break and enjoy life without worry for a few hours. It is a good way to get outside during the stay-at-home order without having to interact with people; however, we try to limit the number of times we go on car rides because of its negative effect on the environment. Combining good friends, good music and a beautiful view of nature is the perfect way to de-stress during these times for me. 

A picture of my roommate, her dog and myself watching the sunset with McFlurries in September of 2020 on a country road. Photo credits - My phone’s self timer camera  

I hope to look back on this post one day when the pandemic is over and remember how life was during this time! 

My question to you is: 

1. How has nature’s impact on your life changed from before the pandemic to now?

Thank you for reading and I can’t wait to read all of your blogs this week!

I quite enjoyed reading your blog post this week!  I too can relate that nature has been an escape now more than ever in this global pandemic.  Right now I need to help myself stay “grounded.”  That is keeping myself strong mentally and physically.  Before going back into our second lockdown I had an easier time of doing this since in the “orange-zone” I could still have my bubble of 10 and play sports.  Before, I would box three times a week and play shinny on Friday nights.  I would then see my friends or family on the weekend which made things feel as they were somewhat normal. 

On the left, my housemates before lockdown at the Gryphons Hockey Arena on campus! We would go for an afternoon skate as a nice break. At least now we’re playing pond hockey!

On the right, pre-lockdown at the gym. I miss boxing.

After being thrown back into a second lockdown, I had to fully switch my routnine again.  Without a set routine I have a hard time leaving my bed.  Even now, just getting up is tiring because I really don’t have any real reason to (i.e go to class, go to sports, etc). 

So, that is where I’ve had to create my own new lockdown routine.  In the morning, I always make my bed to start the day off on the right foot.  I then like to have my coffee by the window and use this time to take in my surroundings (what do I see, what would I hear, stay present in the given moment).  I then like to write out some positive affirmations before I start school work.  As a break from school, my housemate and I do our usual hour long walk, specifically going throught the forest to help give our brains a break. 

On the left, I’ve also been doing a lot of cooking! It keeps my mind occupied and tastes great!

On the right, here’s last nights artwork. This is what I would look like if I we’re a Powerpuff girl!

Later in the evening I always try to do some yoga or a guided meditation to again give my brain a break from not only school but screens.  I like to wrap each night up with some netflix and a journal entry or a piece of artwork.  With these in place and school, the days seem a bit more manageable.

I hope you’re doing well,

Cait

Thanks for reading and commenting! I really enjoyed reading all of the activities you participated in before the pandemic, especially boxing because I have always wanted to try it but never had the courage to go alone. 

I think that having a proper morning routine will help you have a good start to the day. I also begin my morning by making my bed, grabbing a cup of coffee and eating breakfast. One thing that I have recently added to my morning routine is yoga and meditation. I think it has truly made a difference in my mornings and helps set the tone for my day. When I miss a meditation/yoga in the morning, I find myself being less calm and more overwhelmed because I did not take a moment in the morning to think about what I want to accomplish throughout the day. I would definitely recommend trying meditation/yoga in the mornings! If you do, let me know how it goes :)

Thanks again,

     I enjoyed reading your post and all the beautiful ways you have been keeping yourself busy throughout this pandemic. I know this lockdown has been hard on many of us students, especially in terms of mental health issues and feeling closed off from the rest of the world. There is no library to go to, no gym to go to, no lecture halls, no seminars, labs, or anything.  Extremely stressful times like this are when you realize who is there for you and who you truly are deep down without all the distractions to get in the way. I see that you mention many fun activities with your roommates, such as painting, walks, plant shopping, and car rides. Those are some of my favourite things to do; I recently even bought a colouring book and old school polaroid camera! The colouring book has helped a lot as breakers between schoolwork, especially when I begin feeling overwhelmed. 

     The old school polaroid camera that I purchased has been keeping me entertained with scrapbooking! I bought it at Costco around September of 2020, and I am half-way through my first photo album already!  I love that the pictures print out right away and that I get to have a hard copy of the photo- you don’t really see that these days anymore. Most photos are shown through a cell phone, tablet, or some type of screen - but I prefer looking through photo albums (call me old school, I guess, haha). 

(PERSONAL PHOTO: When I purchased my Polaroid Camera (my second saviour)! Dated: September, 2020). 

     To answer your question, nature has been my saviour. If it weren’t for minuscule things such as going for walks, being able to colour or taking pictures outside with my camera- I think I would have gone crazy. This pandemic has truly allowed me to build a stronger and deeper relationship with nature and appreciate the meaning behind smaller things in life. I know this pandemic has been a horrific thing for the world, but I try to stay positive in times of pain. Therefore, I believe this pandemic has truly brought out my artistic features and got me in touch with the beauty of the little things of the world.

Overall great post, thanks for sharing your thoughts during this pandemic! :)

     Art can be expressed in numerous ways. It is a representation of unique perceptions and human emotions. In my eyes, the beauty of art lies in those abilities. 

     If I was to ask myself, “Who am I to interpret nature through art?” I would say I am art, just as my life is my art and how each human carries and creates their own art. Art is expressed through “a kind of representation that is purposive in itself and, though without an end, nevertheless promotes the cultivation of the mental powers for sociable communication (Adajian, 2018, p. 2).” Art can be expressed through photographs, sculptures, and music, etc. But regardless of how it is portrayed, it tells a story, and it captures a moment in time (Hooykaas, Unit 4). When it comes to interpretation, often, an essential characteristic of this implies interaction. When one interprets the beauty of art, they need more than just to see something visually, and the audience needs to participate (Beck et al. 2018). According to Mills, the best formula to nature guidance relied upon five facts.

1. Appealing to the imagination and the reason.

2. Giving flesh and blood to cold facts.

3. Make stories to breathe life into inanimate objects.

4.Deal with principles rather than isolated information.

5. Give biographies rather than classifications.

     I feel as though these five rules can be constructive engagements of art that can allow the audience to understand the nature in their surroundings while enjoying it. This engagement with nature allows for a full impact of interpretation, and as one experiences this, their growth for nature continues (Beck et al. 2018). Such as the process of reading a landscape, seeking more answers, reliving the story, and, more importantly, applying the lessons learned into a life of natural and cultural heritage (Beck et al. 2018).  I think I would be best at storytelling and creating a vision for an audience. All you have to do is paint a picture in your head and create a way for everyone else to envision that same art. The drive that motivates one to want to share their perception of nature’s beauty is remarkable. Storytelling is simply about relating to the background of the audience and revealing its meanings. Thereby provoking audience members and representing the overall message as part of a more extensive understanding  (Beck et al. 2018).

     If someone was to ask me, “How I Interpret the Gift of Beauty?” I would say, life is a beautiful thing, and “the gift of beauty” is a commemoration of life’s past events and the beauty of the intricacies of nature given rise to hope (Beck et al., 2018, p. 84). Below I have attached a photo where I felt for a moment the true beauty of life and nature. 

(PERSONAL PHOTO: Vancouver - Capilano Suspension Bridge. DATED: September 2019)

 QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS:

I hope you guys enjoyed my take on this week’s post :) Now I want to ask you all, is there a moment in your life where you felt you indeed were able to grasp the true beauty of life? I would love to hear any experiences you guys may have had!

Sanchi 

Reference(s):

Adajian, T. (2018). The Definition of Art. Standard Encyclopedia of Philosophy. URL: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/art-definition/#ConDefArt 

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage (First Edition). Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC. 

I truly enjoyed reading your blog due to your abstract thoughts (such as, “I am art, just as my life is my art”). Perception and reality are two different things, but art truly is about expressing reality through our perceptions and emotions. I got chills when I saw your photo of the Capilano Suspension Bridge as I had (terrifyingly) walked this bridge despite my pressing fear of heights telling me to turn around. Walking on the bridge and seeing a 230-foot drop into rapids below did not sit well with me in the moment. Although I certainly appreciated the beauty, I don’t believe it was my moment of grasping beauty.

Link: https://gph.is/g/aN8jL0G

Source: OutsideTV.com

For me, that moment came after a car accident in 2014 when I was in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Fort Mac is an environmental tragedy that was eating at my soul as I was chasing oil-money. There were forest fires that summer so I would walk out in the morning and have a black wall of smoke outside my house. Those oil plants are more environmentally devastating than all of Hamilton Ontario combined.

 Link: http://gph.is/2gOxgvC

 Source: www.viceland.com/en_us/show/payday

Anyways, now that I have painted this uninviting picture of Fort Mac you might be asking: how did you grasp beauty there of all places? Well after leaving work, my co-worker driving me home got us into an accident and I was so traumatized I walked the rest of the way home (on the side of the highway). On that walk, I cut through a forest and stumbled on a river full of reindeer (caribou) bathing. It was a tranquil moment amongst all the chaos that allowed me to calm down and re-evaluate what I wanted from life. Not long after, I got on a plane home and began my journey of post-secondary education. That moment was a major factor in me wanting to upgrade my high school marks to be able to attend college and subsequently university! Life is beautiful.

Link: https://gph.is/g/amnGRRQ

There are some things in life that require a heavy skill set. A brain surgeon is one of those things, among many others. On the other hand, the act of creating art can be done by anyone and everyone. Don’t get me wrong, there are some unbelievably, incredibly talented artists out there who can do things I could currently not do, at all. But when it comes down to it, anything can be art. How I see it, the art of art is its interpretation, which is unique to everyone. I mean, if a banana can be sold for $120,000, as seen by Marizio Cattelan’s duct-taped banana piece (as seen below), then what else wouldn’t be considered art?

Comedian by Marizio Cattelan. Photo by Rhona Wise/EPA.

Basically – art can be found pretty much anywhere. This brings me to my connection between environmental interpretation and art. When linking the two, my mind immediately went to a quote I once read on the paper of a tea bag: “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere., as stated by Mr. Vincent Van Gogh himself. This can read as, if you truly love nature, you can find art everywhere. The art of nature – from its synchronicity to its complexity – is hard to miss! To me, interpreting nature through art is using all of my senses to interpret and immerse myself in the ecosystem around me – the smell of pine trees or wetlands, the sounds of chirping birds or moving water, the feeling of long, soft grasses or slippery, crunchy sand, the sight of a vast, tinted orange grassland or cluttered, dark green and brown forests. Nature works altogether to create one big, inimitable masterpiece.

Greeny, browny shades of a forest in Gibsons, BC - 2019 - Photo by Emilia G.

Now, you really don’t know what you’ve got until its gone. But you also don’t know what you’ve got until…you know what you’ve got. Put it this way – no one will really care to preserve a rainforest or wetland until they really experience and interpret the beauty of it – the art it exhibits, if you will. Further explained by Beck et al. (2018), environmental interpretation “should instill in people the ability, and the desire, to sense the beauty in their surroundings–to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage resource preservation” (pp. 85). Defined as the “Gift of Beauty”, it is the “arrangement of colors and forms” displayed in the natural world that are able to “resonate in the viewer’s mind”, which ultimately may translate to a newfound desire to protect the natural world (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 85, 216). Interpretation of the environment manifests appreciation, and kinship.

Going back to Van Gogh’s quote earlier, something that is important for me to reflect on is to interpret the beauty of nature, no matter where I am. Whether it be the few patches of greenery at a small city park, to the vast landscape of British Columbia’s rainforests–it is important to me to use all of my senses to interpret the art that nature is offering. You can’t pick and choose where the “art” of nature is.

I leave you with the question: do you have a favourite sense to use, when interpreting nature’s masterpieces? (Mine is smell!)

References

     I just wanted to start by saying, excellent post! I especially enjoyed your title, which grasped my attention in the first place, then along with the beautiful pieces you’ve attached. The art piece you have mentioned by Marizio Cattelan reminds me so much of a painting that I once came across, called “All White” by Robert Ryman. This painting is a blank canvas, with a net worth of about 20.6 million dollars. But just like you said, if a duct-taped banana could be considered art, then I guess a white canvas could be too? I think I am almost mad I didn’t think of it first, haha! I’ve attached a picture and a link to a brief article below if you wanted to get more of an idea of what I was talking about! 

(PHOTO: “All White” - Robert Ryman) 

REFERENCE: Ryman, R. (2019). [Picture of ‘All-White’ Canvas] [Painting]. Blair Academy Oracle. http://blairoracle.com/the-all-white-painting-worth-20/1#:~:text=The%20%E2%80%9CAll%2DWhite%E2%80%9D%20Painting%20Worth%20%2420.6%20million%20%2D%20The%20Oracle 

     To answer your question, I do have two favourite senses when interpreting nature’s masterpieces. One sense is touch, and the other is smell. For example, feeling the sand between my toes and smelling the fresh air of nearby water is enough for me to grasp the beauty of the ocean. That may not be the case for everyone, but those are my favourite! However, I will admit, just like you’ve mentioned, nothing beats the feeling of using all your senses to encapture the beauty of nature’s masterpieces. Overall your post was quite knowledgeable, and I enjoyed reading it- so thank you for posting!:) 

     However, I will leave you with this question. I noticed you also mentioned your favourite sense is smell, which is interesting to hear. Do you mind explaining why? :) 

LINK FOR ARTICLE → http://blairoracle.com/the-all-white-painting-worth-20/1#:~:text=The%20%E2%80%9CAll%2D

Sanchi!

Reference:

So, I have to admit to you all, that I’ve never thought that privilege plays a role in nature interpretation.  After reading the blog prompt, I have been thinking about the privilege I was born into and how it shaped my life. For me, Privilege is the unearned benefits that you’re handed simply by being born into certain resources and traits. What does have privilege look like? How do you know you have it?

Picture originally posted by Dev from Wordpress.com

I was lucky enough to be born into a brown middle-class family of two successful parents who always provided me with the best education, food, and a peaceful environment to live in. I did my best in high school and managed to get into the degree I wanted to get in. I grew up in India as a child and moved to Canada about 8 years ago. These are not some of the advantages I earned. I believe my life would’ve been so different if my parents had made a different choice.

Picture posted by Ava Ahmann in the Beacon

As the video suggested in the course link, the advantages that each child starts with seems to be their parent’s work.  In my case, if my parents decided to stay in India, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to live in one of the safest countries, receive a higher level of education or even eat healthily.  I’ve seen girls denied education just because of the fact they are girls and marry them off in a younger age.  Even now people have rejected opportunities because of structural inequalities.

I sometimes wonder what if all the wealth in the world is equally distributed to everyone and everyone started at the same place? Do you guys think that everyone would end up in similar places?

Picture posted by Mary in the Inclusion Solution

In terms of natural interpretation, I believe that my opportunity to experience life in both India and Canada enables me to appreciate nature in various ways. The privilege I was given to experience the hot, tropical weather in India and the privilege given to experience the cold beautiful winters in Canada is something that makes me recognize the importance of fighting for those who have not been as lucky as I am. The privilege to just simply be born into the family is what allows me to interpret nature so differently by enabling me to experience the resources and be closer to the environment. We should always be aware that we are merely fortunate enough to grab the opportunities that come our way. 

     I just wanted to start by saying how much I enjoyed reading your post! I was really drawn to your post because I can relate to growing up with an Indian background. I am also a brown female who comes from a middle-class family of two successful business parents! I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given due to their sacrifice of coming into Canada. It was not easy, and despite all their hardships, I am living in a safe, developed country, and for that, I am also privileged. 

     I also wanted to make a point about what you mentioned in terms of education for women. I believe we are fortunate to have been raised in a country where education is the least bit of our worries, and we can receive knowledge at the tips of our fingers. I can only hope this equality continues to spread all over in developing countries such as India - because feminism is precisely the type of movement we need to help the country progress in growth. Education is a massive part of privilege that is often overlooked, so I am happy you brought attention to that point. 

     To answer your question - in my opinion, I believe even if we all started in the same place with the same wealth, we would not all end up in the same place. Everybody grows up with a different mindset, and being wealthy is a very dangerous mindset to have; some may even call it ‘killer.’ I still believe everyone would have additional hurdles to overcome because as much as we are all in the same life, we are not all on the same level nor are we all dealing with the same devils. 

     Anyways, great post-Kristy! Thanks for sharing :)