We romanticize the image of a child chasing frogs in an unspoiled piece of nature and wish all children had access to that, forgetting that most children can only access nature around their homes or schools. We forget nature does not require expensive equipment or impeccable timing, we forget that those frogs that sing around that city park pond are as important as the ones that sing in a wilderness area. We turn nature into something that is only done “right” by a few. While we ignore wildlife diversity in urban areas, we grieve the loss of access to “our” nature, while disregarding the small patches of nature that make most people’s every day. And then we write books about it, to further make our point.
As we finished our hike, I started thinking about how much I would have missed if I had listened to those women, if I had not felt confident enough to continue the hike even after they told me I was doing it wrong.
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