A couple of weeks ago as I was on one of my hikes along the Fox River just east of the Hoover Forest Preserve, I noticed something unusual hanging from the low branch of a small tree along the trail. As I got closer, I could see it was some kind of decorative ornament tied onto the branch with a silk ribbon. Curious, I walked over to the tree and more closely inspected the ornament. It was a ceramic disk that had a floral motif painted around the edges and centered in black, bold script was the phrase “Beauty Is all around us.”
This was a very simple message but was quite profound for me. These five simple words perfectly summed up my thoughts when I’m out in the woods, or on the prairie, or at an eagle’s nest, or fishing on the river: “Beauty is all around us.” When I have sad or serious issues on my mind, heading out into nature is the perfect elixir for me. When I’m happy, spending time outdoors brightens my mood even more. I’m sure you have had similar emotions when spending time out in our great outdoors.
Recently, I was at a gathering of a group of friends where I told the story of finding this ornament and the simple message it conveyed. It started a conversation around how lucky we are to live in an area that has so many opportunities to get out and enjoy nature: beautiful forest preserves, many lakes and streams, and of course, our wonderful Fox River. It also triggered a conversation about the beauty of the friendships and sense of community we enjoy living in our Fox River watershed. It was a beautiful evening sharing thoughts and feelings with other good people. Again, beauty was all around us.
I’ve seen a lot of “magical” sights along this trail!
Sometimes it’s not so easy to see the good and beautiful things that are all around us through the haze of strife and discord, particularly lately. It’s all too easy to find ugliness and toxicity in the world and sometimes it feels overwhelming. When I feel that toxicity becoming noxious to me, I head out with my camera or my fishing rod to get out into nature and re-center myself. The peace and quiet is very calming and therapeutic. I can feel my mind slowing down and it becomes easier to figure out what’s really important. To me, and I would assume to many of you, those important things are family, friends, and the natural world. If we take care of our family and friends and nature, everything else will fall into place.
My sentiments expressed here may seem overly simplistic, but I don’t think they are. Sometimes the simple things are the most powerful. Love and friendship, cooperation and community, and conservation of our natural world are simple concepts. If we follow the Golden Rule and love our neighbors as we love ourselves, the sense of cooperation and community will naturally follow. So will a commitment to take care of our natural resources.
Being a Friend of the Fox River, at least vicariously, you are already a member of a very strong community of special people who care about our wonderful watershed and all the natural features contained within it including our fellow human beings. This community has the power to influence the world around us in a very positive way. If we work together to make sure our fellow citizens and lawmakers reflect our shared values for the stewardship of our natural resources, we can accomplish great things.
Beauty is all around us. Let’s join together to act as ambassadors and advocates for the natural beauty that surrounds us in our Fox River watershed. Doing so will help to ensure it stays that way.
