#senseofplace

Pleasant Point

Nature and I have had a complicated relationship over the past few years. Nature brings me a sense of peace but it also gets me sick quite often :(. In my leisure time, I find myself spending time outside whether it be taking a walk, sitting on a bench near a park or even just laying on the grass and staring at the sky (Beck et al., 2018). The reason I do this is because I feel grounded, it is my sweet escape when things are collapsing in my life (Beck et al., 2018).

What’s funny is, my grandfather’s job was based on working with nature as well. When things weren’t going too well at home he would spend extra hours at work in order to feel connected to nature since it helped him feel at peace. My grandfather’s job consisted of constructing railway tracks but to him it had a deeper meaning. This construction of railways to him meant that he was giving back to our society and also helped pave the path for the future (Beck et al., 2018). He saw how amazing it was that our environment gave individuals an easier way to commute. Due to my grandfather appreciating and being so connected with nature, I have learned to appreciate nature more. When I see trees I don’t just see a trunk with some leaves on it, I see a form of nature allowing us the chance to breathe in clean air.

Although I have an amazing relationship with nature now, as a child I hated being outdoors due to the weather constantly changing. One minute it would be warm and the next it would be freezing which caused me to get sick very often. Although the weather is still not perfect, I am able to look past it and appreciate what it has to offer. Aside from my grandfather, the other thing that helped me appreciate nature much more is COVID. Due to COVID everyone was isolated at home, and this deteriorated my mental health. I didn’t realize how much I missed going on hikes or walks around the neighbourhood even though bugs would eat me alive. Now every opportunity I get, I spend it outdoors.

My grandfather has always offered me a “raison d’être” (sense of place) by explaining the historical significance behind several landmarks, amplifying their beauty in my eyes (Beck et al., 2018). When we went to Vancouver my grandfather told me the entire history behind Grouse Mountain. He explained how in the 1800s hiking up this mountain took around three to four days. He explained all the attempts from entrepreneurs to make this mountain a major attraction for individuals on which we can now ski, snowshoe, snowmobile etc. In some way, we can also see how my grandfather took on the task of being an interpreter. He changed my interpretation of this mountain and enriched the experience and its beauty for my family and I (Beck et al., 2018).

When I think “relationship”, I think of how I feel in its presence. In nature I feel peace, tranquility, connectedness, purpose, among other things. Since those feelings are positive, I feel as though my relationship with nature is also positive.

While growing up, I was fortunate to always have some sort of connection with nature, consistently exposed. I live in a suburban area with farms and forests surrounding, I frequently try to visit my cottage on Rose Island, and I spent most of my childhood surrounded by nature in the Muskoka’s at my grandparents, camping, boating, hiking, gardening, swimming, snowshoeing, skiing. I always loved to ‘escape’ from the busy complex world with expectations and still hold these values today when I need a break from the world.

I feel like my relationship with nature has gotten stronger as I grow older and reflect on those fond memories of where I fell in love with being outside and watching animals. I realize how lucky I was to experience ‘breaths of fresh air’ that nature is to me, different from new generations’ love for technology. I often find my time spent in nature is periodic or short-lived, but it is always there when I need that ‘breath of fresh air’. I often try to spend time at my cottage or to go for a quick hike near my home. Although I often find myself missing out on going to nature, nature often comes to me. When my grandpa passed, owls showed up, perhaps as a symbol of him. Anniversaries, birthdays, during holidays and hardships we see owls everywhere around us, coming up to our doors, landing on our cars, and swooping in near us. I feel as though this is a reminder of him and love for wildlife in the natural world and find this to remind me when I need to find a natural place to spend some time in, ensuring my relationship with nature is everlasting.

I think I received my “sense of place” from my family making memories and passing the love of nature on to me at my grandparent’s cottage. It was never a place to ‘tame’ nature but to embrace it as we made sure to plant apple trees for deer and milkweed for monarchs. So, I guess that I would thank my grandma and grandpa for giving me that “sense of place”, the location that I have a special connection with and the love for nature. My parents also largely influenced my love and curiosity surrounding nature. My mom’s love for marine biology and hunger to teach critical thinking about how incredible the natural world is to sustain a wide variety of life caused the interest I had for nature to develop. My dad’s love for movement and getting my family that ‘breath of fresh air’ in the nature I have grown up to love allowed exposure to our natural environment throughout my life. I cherish family deeply, so when all the fond memories of family time are spent in nature, it’s hard not to love it!

There are so many more experiences that I want to talk about, and it’s difficult to define your relationship with nature to a few key moments! Nevertheless, this is all I have space for!

My current relationship with nature has improved compared to a couple of years ago. I found since the pandemic has occurred my connection and engagement with nature have grown stronger than before. I have been able to spend more time and learn new ways nature can be apart of our lives. Nature has opened my eyes to a whole new world with many aspects of it I have not known about. 

Learning the necessities of caring for plants has greatly expanded my knowledge and developed my interests. I have recently been growing and caring for my own house plants during the quarantine. Before quarantine, I would end up killing my plants by not paying much attention to them and only watering them when I remembered. Since then I have gained a greater respect for the nature around us, learning ways to maintain, restore, and promote it.  

Picture of a flower I took in my garden.

Since I was a little kid I would enjoy doing many activities involving nature in the outdoors. Going canoeing has always been a favourite activity of mine. The feeling of the drops of the lake water splashing on my legs was so refreshing when the paddles went in the water too deep. Also, the views of the lily pads and turtles in the lake were beautiful. I love to go on hikes through forests seeing a variety of species including little ants to huge willow trees. Recently I went to Blue Mountain and hiked up the mountain for the first time ever. It was exhausting and very hot, but it didn’t stop me from taking pictures and enjoying the trees, streams, and the incredible views from the hike. When I reached the top I never felt the appreciation for the beautiful view I was witnessing. You never realize how beautiful nature is until you experience it and enjoy every minute of it.

View of the Blue Mountains from a section of the hiking trails. I took this picture.

My grandparent's garden has offered me a “sense of place” for myself to connect to nature and to enjoy the environment. Since I could remember going to the garden has been a monumental place in my family's history and culture. I would always help my grandparent's water and plants the many plants, including cherry trees, lettuce, and tomato plants. The garden itself symbolizes life and joy, varying in many colours and plants. For example, the bright red tomatoes to the yellow sunflowers. To a stranger this garden may seem like every other garden they have seen, however to me it’s a place of love and many fond memories with many loved ones. This little garden represents the hope of nature bringing life and enjoyment to the world.

Picture of a sunflower that I took in my grandparents garden.

Questions!

Has your relationship and experience with nature changed since the pandemic?

What outdoor activities do you find really helpful to connect with nature?

Thanks!