A refuge for the heart.

Pitt Polder - not only a wildlife refuge.
Nature can be savage, brutal, and uncaring.  It can also be therapeutic, nourishing, and inspiring.  The amazing thing is that it is all of these things - and more - at the same time.  It is odd and somewhat ironic that, in nature, great beauty often means great peril.  As with all things wonderful and dangerous, Nature is something to be enjoyed with a measure of sapience.  The scouts have it partly right with their motto of, "Be prepared."  It would do us a lot of good to also hold onto the idea of, "Be aware."

As much as I love Nature with its great variety of living things and landscapes, I also respect the side of it that has substantiated Darwin's axiom, "Survival of the fittest."  There may be a thousand ways to die in the west, but there are a million ways to die in Nature.  For the most part, we have it easy.  There are plenty of trails to enjoy, maps and landmarks to follow, people to lend a hand, and even rescue teams ready to come to the aid of those in need.  Even so, danger lurks actively for those who seek it, even unwittingly.  This is where the mottos "Be prepared" and "Be aware" come in to play.

Are you boating?  Wear a life jacket.  Are you in the backcountry?  Tell people of your whereabouts and know potential dangers.  Are you hiking?  Bring some water and food.  It is also a good idea to have a small survival kit handy with such items as knife, matches, mylar emergency blanket, chord, and a first aid kit.  Such items fit handily into a small pack - chances are you could carry them and not even know they were there.  Above all know the hazards associated with the area and with any risky activities you may be engaging in.  Behave accordingly.

I live in Maple Ridge and have enjoyed the bounty of its parks and wild areas.  I would rate it as a safe community and a place where Nature and civilization live in harmony.  Yet people die because they aren't prepared, aren't aware, and don't behave accordingly.  Mostly it comes from being proud (I don't need a life jacket), being ignorant (the water isn't moving that fast), or from being foolish (I'm going to get a selfie with that bear).  Safety has more to do with what you do than with where you are.  Any place can be safe if you are prepared, aware, and appropriate.  Likewise, any place can be dangerous if you are unprepared, ignorant, or precarious.

I had a very enjoyable walk this morning.  I saw some amazing wildlife and witnessed an amazing landscape.  I was safe, not because danger didn't exist, but because I was not about to court it.  Enjoy nature with the respect it deserves.  It can be a refuge for the heart, or a means to remove it.

Thanks for reading.   www.ericspix.com   Eric Svendsen





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