A passion has risen inside me again, the flame ignited. Not entirely sure the proper term to use. Most things cannot be accurately described by mere labels. Call it botany, biology, environmentalism, conservation, or being a naturalist and outdoorsman.
I like to think of it as just being in touch with the natural environment around you. It is a mindful act to pay attention to your surroundings and to learn from them. When you are not distracted, there are many things to see and find.
As a child I remember being enamored by insects, worms and most other animals and plants. Curiosity is what brought about the interest. Now I realize that there is always something to learn from nature. That curiosity can be endless.
Constantly learning is one of the best ways to keep your mind active and sharp. People often cannot wait until school is over so they don't have to learn. It seems that once you stop learning your brain slowly stops functioning properly. Similarly, once you stop moving your body slowly stops functioning.
People like Charles Darwin, John Muir and others have always interested me. They were driven by a passion to discover more about the world, especially in regards to the natural environment.
There are many facets to being a well rounded outdoors person. Not all are requirements but if you want to get a holistic view of the world, it does help to dabble in all these areas, regardless if you think of them in these terms.
- Arborist; studying trees
- Botanist; studying plants
- Entomologist; studying bugs
- Geologist; studying rocks
- Ichthyologist; studying fish
- Meteorologist; studying the weather
- Mycologist; studying mushrooms
- Ornithologist; studying birds
- Zoologist; studying animals
No need to be an expert or even want to be one. These are just areas of intrigue to study and learn more about. It is nice to have so many different subcategories under the grander umbrella of the outdoors. Adding onto the list with more aspects of the outdoors.
- Camping
- Cooking
- Fishing
- Harvesting
- Hiking
- Hunting
Ryan and I have talked about this deep draw to nature on our podcast, Two Angles on Angling. Even on those episodes, words fell short of explaining. It isn't something that can really be explained, it is something that is felt. In some of us, that drive is irrefutable.
It is hard to explain the sense of connection that these areas of interest have brought to my life. There are others paths to follow, especially with the unlimited options that modern technology has given us. Regardless of those options, I choose to stay close to Nature.
Follow the patterns of nature and you can never stray too far.
Thank you for reading my rambles
Peace and Love
-Jordan
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