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Whenever I think of the great out of doors, I
immediately think of my favorite word - wild. There is a beautiful quote by
Ralph Waldo Emerson “Live in the sunshine, Swim in the sea and Drink the wild
air.” It pretty much sums up the feeling that being in nature offers anyone who
gives themselves the gift of immersing oneself in all the beauty of the natural
world.
One definition of wild is occurring,
growing, or living in a natural state; not domesticated, cultivated, or tamed.
Oh yeah, I like that! Sure beats just existing, stagnating and living in a way
that is completely contrary to all of your intuition, dreams, hopes and
gifts. There is often confusion which
gives the false impression that the idea of wild is a state of rebellion. In my
experience, wild is a state of living out your destiny. Living in harmony with
the out of doors is our destiny. If you think man ultimately can do anything
else, just go down to the ocean, stand on the shore and try and stop a wave. It
is our birthright to be wild and live in our natural state. Time spent out of
doors reinforces this belief.
I
spend a lot of my life with horses. I ride them, I volunteer at an Equine
rescue that saves them, and I travel to photograph the wild ones to bring
awareness to their fragile circumstances in a world that favors development
over their very existence. Wild horses running free are one of the most
incredible sights in nature. I know this because I have seen it often and have
felt the tears run down my face because there was something so breathtaking and
moving about witnessing firsthand such graceful animals in all their majesty.
For those of us who are enamored with anything in the physical world and spend a lot of our time out of
doors, there is a compulsion to bring attention to the importance of preserving
all of its’ beauty to insure that our children’s children can have the
privilege of experiencing it in their lifetime too.
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I once heard a wise man describe what he
called “nature deficit disorder”. He jokingly said “We are living in a time
where the virtual world is more of a home to many than their own back yard.“ I
see this in places where people are obsessed with trivial things that seem
important and are part of our culture’s vision of success. There is a huge attachment to living within
the confines of the man made world’s dogma. Would it not be a great full circle
moment; if everyone seeking a better life could realize that all you need to
find it is to open your front door and go outside and start to really look at
what is there. When my son was a baby, he had colic and would wake up crying
very upset. One night, I walked him outside on the front porch under the trees
dancing in the wind and with a full moon shining on both of us; he almost
immediately calmed down and fell asleep. It worked so well with him that I did
it most of his infancy. Some of us seem to recognize at a very young age the
peace that comes from the connection to nature.
I
am an artist, so my spirituality is truly based on the belief that whatever
made us all was pretty handy in the masterpiece making category. Like the Native American culture, I
believe in a Great Creator; one who paints a sunset every single evening of
your entire life. The nightly art show
found in the sky, like Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting, reminds us that there
is a benevolent force that is over us literally. This example inspires me to watch over nature
the way my Grandparents and Parents taught me by understanding that it is a
gift and a privilege to be alive and to drink in all the beauty of the out of
doors and never forget that it is our responsibility to act out our gratitude
by preserving it. Fresh air and sunshine and interacting with animals and
nature in many forms often cures depression, grief, anxiety, and many other
illnesses.
Interestingly,
it takes some of us longer than others to get to the place of knowing that a
peaceful heart is not the result of attaining, succeeding, gathering material
possessions or winning anything at all. In fact, it is truly the profound
knowing that occurs when you completely realize that the power that made us
really just wants us to enjoy our lives, take care of each other and watch
nightly the magnificent art show in the sky.
The path to a peaceful heart is one that is focused on the serenity
found in the out of doors. It is after all an astounding opportunity to become
stewards of the greatest masterpiece ever made, found in nature-all that is
wild!
as seen in Cassidy: Winter 2013
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