Every time I see someone raking up autumn leaves to throw out or to burn, I want to cry. I love walking through thick layers of leaves and whenever I see them, I envision fertile, nutrient rich soil from which beautiful bulbs will emerge in the spring. I am equally dismayed by the obsessive clean-up of gardens as seed heads are removed and leaf litter, which provides habitat for over-wintering insects, is gotten rid of. Without the seed heads to see them through the winter, many birds must rely on bird feeders provided by humans.
We have descended to an existence devoid of nature. Many people say they like nature, but they like the idea of nature more than its reality. Marketing gimmicks are awash with pictures of nature and products created to sell the idea of being green, without actually requiring that people interact with nature. They may fool themselves into believing that nature is separate from them, but they are as much a part of it, as the sun is part of our solar system. If they are approaching the idea of being green, because it makes them look to others like they actually care, when they do not, then it becomes nothing more than a fad, or a passing interest.
I am fortunate. I was never caught up for long, in the made-up world of fashion and makeup and the proverbial ladder of success. Nature has been my inspiration. Caring for wildlife and pets, gardening for birds and butterflies, and pursuing a simpler life has been my calling. I love those things that so many others detest – like autumn leaves and opossums and bare naked trees in winter.
