I have noticed a pattern in my generation that it seems reasonable, and in fact even mandatory, to 'see the world'. I have been on exchange to Argentina myself, visited my husband's homeland in Peru and been on a few touristic trips up the Eastern coast of Australia. Although beautiful places, I did sense some emptiness and futility in the cultural push to attempt to 'see everything there is to see' on this incredible planet.
Surely, for everything you see, there are one million other things that you don't see, and in order for every person on the planet to see every famous landmark, the planet would heat up at a multiplied rate from the plane fumes, one would lose the sense of awe in each location, and no one would be in one spot long enough to create and maintain these touristic treasures! On the contrary, so much traffic would probably destroy most of these natural and man-made treasures and cultures. Besides, plane trips are extremely expensive and often come at the cost of not owning property, for example, and while 'seeing' and 'experiencing' are all very well, aren't long-term relationships and the mutually beneficial work in community more rewarding and productive in the long term?
All this said, I salute those travellers who dedicate themselves to enjoying eco-tourism, volunteering in ecological and community projects, and attending conventions and conferences on sustainable living and the like, in order to multiply the positive effects of these ideas back in their home towns and cities.
This poem came about as I noticed how far I travelled to arrive in Far North Queensland (seeing only sky and clouds on the way), in contrast to the richness of experience that I derived from starting a nature journal once in a fixed spot up there, beginning to look much more closely at what surrounded me.
Travelling Too Far, Too Fast
The faster we go, the further we travel.
The further we travel, the less we notice.
The less we notice, the less we observe.
The less we observe, the less we understand.
The less we understand, the less we value.
The less we value, the less we protect.
The less we protect, the more we destroy.
The more we destroy, the less there is left
to see…
It is better to know and love every insect,
leaf, flower, tree and bird in your own neighbourhood than it is to travel the
world and notice nothing.
The Learning Philosopher
For further reading, see:
‘8 reasons to do Nature Study’ in the Charlotte Mason approach
‘Nature Study’ – more information
All about Nature Study and its benefits, paraphrased from the complete works of Charlotte Mason, Volume I (see Part II)
Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
Conservation Volunteers
Ecotourism
Australia
