Peter Jemison’s contact with nature is one without hesitancy, cruelness, or barriers. Perhaps his communicative abilities stem from his membership of the Heron clan of the Seneca Nation or his artistic touch, but regardless, it’s uncommon in the twenty first century.
During his talk at the Gandhi Institute, he spoke of the undeniable importance between humans and their environment.
Since the beginning of civilization, humans have depended on nature. Ancient Sumerians lived in harmony with the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, the ancient Egyptians were in touch with the Nile River, and even the Indus Valley civilizations learned to appreciate the unpredictable monsoons. The moment humans learned how to control nature, the interaction between the two became infinitely more complicated. At first, the increased complexity was not negative. In fact, irrigation techniques or terracing to control the water flow aided the common person and allowed for easy access to a vital resource, without harming the resource itself. At what point did human’s control of nature become detrimental to society? When instead of modifying nature, we started destroying it. The process occurred gradually, until the point we find ourselves today; almost complete disregard for nature and living things.
If everyone, including myself, were to quite literally stop and smell the roses, we would quickly become more aware of our surroundings. With awareness inherently comes mindfulness, kindness, and irreplaceable understanding of life. It is my hope that even as heavy industry keeps expanding and technology becomes more prevalent, the human race can continue to appreciate the value of untouched nature. Knowing where the closest herbal medicine is located is just as, if not more, important than being able to find a local wifi Hot-Spot.
by Sarita Benesch. Sarita is a student at Brighton High School who volunteers weekly at the Gandhi Institute.
