The following is a guest post by an anonymous participant in D&T Steps, our eight-week Virtual Adventure Series comprised of four separate challenges. The First Step was to take a solo, five-mile hike with the intention of reconnecting to yourself.
I had a wonderful opportunity to hike five miles on private, secluded land. It was a special experience to enter the wilderness for a few hours and forget about the busy and crowded city lifestyle in which I am normally entangled.
Since this hike was a part of an adventure series competition, there were several opportunities to get bonus points. Many of these points focused on identifying parts of nature like plants, trees, animals, insects, and fungi. When working to identify some plants and their benefits, I couldn’t help but think about how most people today lack knowledge about nature.
Through the history of humans, the Earth was our life source. In order to survive, one was required to utilize the planet: the stars for directions, the plants and fungi to heal, trees to build and make tools, etc. The Earth was known to be sacred and appreciated and was carefully studied. People used to be personally involved with their environment much more than we are today.
Making money is now thought to be one of the most essential ways to survive, or at least that’s what society today values. What happened to our primitive survival skills? And why is being primitive considered such a negative thing?
I see such beauty in taking a step back, to really understand where we originated. Evolution and the progression of technology is inevitable and not necessarily wrong, but I see taking a step back as even more beneficial to the advancement of people.
There was a special connection with the Earth that I think is diminishing with the advance of technology. The age of convenience has damaged our relationships. Things are purchased at the store instead of harvested through knowledge and effort. I realize how this lazy modern life has shaped my generation and myself. Sadly, subjects that I have a desire to study and learn about have become forgotten by most as this knowledge is no longer a means of survival.
We have all seen and experienced how humans have destroyed the planet we have been given. What are the ways that we can improve this planet instead?
I encourage anyone reading this to take a walk in the wilderness and step away from the technology for a moment. Take a break from all the hustle and bustle. Separate yourself from other people, and reflect on this planet alone. Take a class, read a book, explore for yourself.
I challenge you to take a step back every so often.
It may help you gain two steps forward.
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