Connections

I've always felt a deep connection to the natural world. Most of my childhood was spent outside building camps, exploring, having adventures and wild camping (initially not with great success mind); once whilst visiting the Lake District experiencing the strangest feeling that I even wanted to be part of that landscape, not live in, but actually be it. On reflection that may have been the dawning of the realization that I was part of it. Socialization to nature is essential; it was through exposure and play that my love of the natural world, it's inhabitants and mysteries was kindled and nurtured. In recent times I've leaned heavily into my connection with the natural world, and have taken refuge in it and solace from it. As for many, one way and another the last few years have been tough, and through necessity and my natural proclivity to withdraw, I've become complicit in own social erasure. Where once I had a rich and rewarding social life, now I've lost connection with cherished people, special groups and valued communities; the distance caused through shielding and isolation having bled into disconnection, a loss of confidence and identity. I'm sure it's a situation experienced by many. I'm lucky though. To have access to the natural world, and such fine facets of it too, so close a hand as I do has been a blessing; I don't know how I'd have fared without it. I will say that the last few years have further developed and deepened my connection to the land and seasons; I would one day though like to rejoin the world.

Reclamation

Nature's exploding all over. Looking along the railway tracks from the old foot bridge it was almost as if it's wooded environs were straining to to consume them. Without regular human intervention I don't think it would take too many years before the rails were unnavigable, and only a few more until their course would disappear into thicket and jumbled shrub. I'll often wonder what the works of man would look like abandoned, and how long they'd take to be consumed by nature. It's a comfort in a way in light of our climate crisis, that it's not really the planet we're trying to save (such a human-centric perspective), it's our tenure on it, and if we fail it's us that'll be beyond saving. The planet, flora and fauna will all adapt and evolve, they'll all be just fine, different, but fine. Reassuring, really.