Whispers of the Wild by Christian Robert

From debriefing the two texts we read, listening to Sasha and Liliana’s presentation, and going to the Amon G. Carter Museum, a lot was learned today. From debriefing the differences between immersion and observation in Havasu to discussing Abbey’s polemic against the transformation of national parks into tourist attractions, I am gaining even more of an appreciation for nature than I already had. I do have to say, my views on how nature should be preserved got mixed up in a blender. I never intentionally thought about how precious nature is to our world until this class. I just loved nature with no depth. In Havasu, the man talks about the time he got lost and how dreadful it was. Then, on one of his last walks in Havasu, he seems to think he regained everything that had been ebbing away. He did not know what he had until it was approaching being gone. That’s true for all of us. We take advantage of people, places, and things that seem “routine-based” in the moment, but when they fade...

It’s always so cool to see Mother Nature bring out weather that’s not usually common in a certain place. I have to say, this year’s snowfall in Texas was, yes, chaotic, but also seemingly beautiful. I remember it was Friday night, and I was working my shift as a server at Grimaldi’s. It was quite something to see the city of Fort Worth quiet for a night, with no sound except for nature’s beauty and the anticipation of what was going to happen next. I started to see the skies darken, and that gray aura began to form all around. Although it was a bit scary, seeing nature’s capabilities made me appreciate the weather. The official snowfall began around 12:00 a.m. I started to see the paper-white flurries fall over the glistening midnight sky, with the moon shining ever so beautifully in the corner. I went outside, breathed in the fresh, ice-cold air, and sat in silence and watched. Shortly after, the lights turned on, people stepped onto their porches and balconies, and began to do the sa...

Upon reflecting on our class today, I thought it was amazing. I am very grateful for Kristen and the work we both put into our guided class teaching today. Everything flowed perfectly, and I enjoyed hearing my peers' diverse perspectives on their view of nature and what it means to them. Starting with the grounding icebreaker, it was great seeing how people were open to doing something that normally never happens. I would argue that this was the first time for anyone to ever go outside as a class and ground with no shoes on in the middle of January. Yes, everyone was initially confused, but people were excited to get out of the classroom and experience something new and innovative. To add on, when we all wrote our favorite experiences outside, I personally feel like we bonded closer as a class together. Stories were told, memories were shared, and people's relationships with nature were presented. Every single person in our class had at least one positively surprised reaction w...

The first day of class in Texts and Treks is in the books! I am really excited for this honors class. Not only are some of my close friends in this class, but I have the opportunity to take something that I am passionate about: nature and the beauty of this world. I am excited for the overall plans of this course and the adventure that is to come! I have been brainstorming all of my journals and when I will do what, and what pictures will I add, and I am super excited.  After class, I did my brief walk outside. This time, I decided to isolate and consider the external environment I was around in a deeper way. As I was walking home, the sun was glistening on my face and the sky was crystal clear blue. I breathed in the fresh air as I was walking through campus.  Then, immediately, that went away as I walked through the major construction behind Neeley. Loud noises, pollution everywhere, dust particles in the air, and concrete cement covering up what once was beautiful bright gr...