Can there be a limit to the love of nature? My answer is: “Not at all!” For me, it is impossible to explain the extent of my closeness to nature. Nor do I have the capacity to fully define its myriad perspectives and phases. I thrive on being close to nature and it rejuvenates me like nothing else. Enjoying the company of nature is by far the best way to get rid of depression or other such illnesses. An admirer of nature, rejects any other means of entertainment. Once a nature aficionado, is always a nature aficionado, even at the cost of becoming a laughing stock or being called a fanatic. But tranquility and pleasure are the guaranteed results of this association. William Wordsworth is so perfect to proclaim: “Nature never betrayed the heart that loved her.”
Nature lovers are recognizable everywhere, due to their distinct preferences. One of our relatives, a fervent nature lover, never stays more than a few minutes inside a wedding hall. He said, “I prefer to sit outside, near the trees and listen to the songs of the birds. I cannot tolerate this ear-breaking noise in the name of music. Rather this way, we can converse with each other, otherwise we are so busy that we hardly ever meet. Basically, these people with specific priorities live on an entirely different pedestal.
I am grateful for the attitude I had, which is my unwavering love for nature. I cannot even count the blessings that nature has given me because of this worship. Let me share one of my own experiences. Recently, we made the difficult decision to move from our more than three decades old home to a new location. But since it was a well thought out plan, the change was most welcome.
By the time we were on the move, our evening tea time coincided with sunset every day. My husband and I chose to sit on the balcony to savor the cup of cheers so that we didn’t miss an iota of the full panoramic view of the setting sun. I think being in the seventh decade of your life has something to do with this particular affinity for the farewell sun.
The way the departing sun turns the azure sky into a riot of speckled shades of blue, orange, gray and ultimately turns it dark gray, is nothing short of magic. At the same time, the birds swarm towards the trees for the night’s rest. The choir presented by them at this time seems to be a song of gratitude for a day well spent.
Another thing that seems too fascinating is that the same retreating sun that we see in the evening appears the next morning with renewed vividness, as if saying, “Here is another glorious and golden day at your disposal; make it unique by doing something extraordinary to change this universe for a better place; thus, give your life a charismatic aura. [email protected]
The writer is an independent contributor based in Ludhiana
