I think the southwest, though dry and desolate, is one of the most outstanding examples of nature in America. I recently visited a friend in Arizona and went for a hike up a mountain basically in my friend's back yard. I was overwhelmed by the beauty I saw in the desert, because I never expected to find so much raw beauty in it. Usually, when I thought of a southwest desert, I would picture a few cacti and a little snake squiggling around, but the closer I looked at the desert, the more I appreciated it. A desert hardly gets any rain and when it does the cacti and other plants soak up the little nourishment they are lucky to get, then hold onto it as long as they can, cherishing their latest drink of water. This, to me, is paralleled by human nature... as in nature vs. nurture. Those whom do not get enough nurturing, naturally take the little nurturing that they do gain and soak it up and cherish it... it really depends on the person. If this person is like an ordinary house plant that you have to water daily, and you stick them in a place with less nurturing (desert), in constant deprivation of the ammt. of nurturing they require, then they do not thrive and survive as well as say, a cactus. I also love the rockiness of the mountains by her house. These massive mountains are surrounded by so much flat land, that I love how high they do reach because it could figuratively inspire those who don't get enough nurturing to reach for something more... just like Chris McCandless, who journeyed into the west in hope of reaching the fulfillment in his life that he was missing, in order to complete himself. Since America wasn't considered "America" until the west was added to the "property", Chris McC or "Alexander Supertramp" (alex=colonies) wasn't Chris until he reached his own enlightenment which he had to find in himself by escaping to the west(west+colonies=Chris McC). I think that's one of the reasons people reach out to the west, because they know deep down that there's always more that they could do to fulfill their lives... and for some, it's right in their back yard.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Hotel Arizona
I think the southwest, though dry and desolate, is one of the most outstanding examples of nature in America. I recently visited a friend in Arizona and went for a hike up a mountain basically in my friend's back yard. I was overwhelmed by the beauty I saw in the desert, because I never expected to find so much raw beauty in it. Usually, when I thought of a southwest desert, I would picture a few cacti and a little snake squiggling around, but the closer I looked at the desert, the more I appreciated it. A desert hardly gets any rain and when it does the cacti and other plants soak up the little nourishment they are lucky to get, then hold onto it as long as they can, cherishing their latest drink of water. This, to me, is paralleled by human nature... as in nature vs. nurture. Those whom do not get enough nurturing, naturally take the little nurturing that they do gain and soak it up and cherish it... it really depends on the person. If this person is like an ordinary house plant that you have to water daily, and you stick them in a place with less nurturing (desert), in constant deprivation of the ammt. of nurturing they require, then they do not thrive and survive as well as say, a cactus. I also love the rockiness of the mountains by her house. These massive mountains are surrounded by so much flat land, that I love how high they do reach because it could figuratively inspire those who don't get enough nurturing to reach for something more... just like Chris McCandless, who journeyed into the west in hope of reaching the fulfillment in his life that he was missing, in order to complete himself. Since America wasn't considered "America" until the west was added to the "property", Chris McC or "Alexander Supertramp" (alex=colonies) wasn't Chris until he reached his own enlightenment which he had to find in himself by escaping to the west(west+colonies=Chris McC). I think that's one of the reasons people reach out to the west, because they know deep down that there's always more that they could do to fulfill their lives... and for some, it's right in their back yard.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Lindsey, I think you make a great parralel between the desert and the natural beauty and prosperity of our country and actual human beings and how we thrive and are able to nourish ourselves both physically and mentally. My grandparents live in Arizona but in a more rural part i would say but of the 16 times i've been there i've only ever seen the grandcanyon which really is breath taking but to see mountains and desert in your backyard as you siad that billions have people haven't seen really makes an expierence and somehtin truly original. I compliment you for being abke to appreciate such dull yet natural beauty that this land has to give and i think your comparatives and parralels were great.
ps sry if i spelled desert like dessert(ice-cream,cake)
Post a Comment