Ungrateful

Nature surrounds me daily, yet I never take the time to observe it closely. I, like most people, think oceans and beaches are pretty. I find cute seashells, but throw the ugly ones. When I am driving, I only see cars. I have hiked before and camped. I have traveled to Yellow Stone Park and climbed a mountain. These events were not torture for me, but they also were not the most eventful times of my life. I find autumn in Pennsylvania pretty; the leaves change on the trees. Sunsets in Florida are nice to look at on my walk back from the cafeteria. I look at sceneries and think they're pretty, but I never am aware consciously of what I am thinking and feeling. Nature never really excited me. I think that I take nature for granted.
My definition of nature is plants, animals, stars, planets, etc. Nature is everywhere I go. To me nature is the world I live in, my surroundings. Despite this, it has been meaningless to me. From day to day I never stop to smell flowers, or sit and observe animals. (Unless they are my dogs.) Anne Dillard states, “It is that simple. What you see is what you get.(Dillard, 17)”. She is saying that nature is what you make of it. It might not be pretty or perfect, but if you take time to appreciate it you may find happiness in it. That is exactly how I feel about nature. I never made the effort to think of nature. I never take the time to appreciate it like I should. I feel as though I have missed out on so much. Till now I never realized this flaw. In the future I hope to stop and take in my surroundings.
Alicia Shoenberger