Wilderness In My Life

After reading excerpts from works written by Robert Marshall, Roderick Nash, William Cronon, and Donald Waller, it has become evident to me that “wilderness” is a term that encompasses both the natural and civilized world we live in. Wilderness, without a doubt, does constitute areas of land that remain untouched by man, and like Marshall explained, “contain no permanent inhabitants, possesses no possibility of conveyance by any mechanical means, and is sufficiently spacious that a person in crossing it must have the experience of sleeping out.”(Marshall, 288) Nevertheless, this definition is considerably narrow, in the sense that it does not acknowledge the fact that we, as humans, are also a part of nature; society is not completely detached from natural processes. As Cronon put it, “this, then, is the central paradox: wilderness embodies a dualistic vision in which the human is entirely outside the natural [...] The place where we are is the place where nature is not.” (Cronon, 302) By analyzing the perspectives of both these environmentalists, I am able to create my own concept of wilderness and believe that it does in fact consist of a wide variety of elements - not just the obvious (i.e. thick forest). The versatile role that the wilderness plays in my life is what made me adopt this all-encompassing definition. I will begin by stating the obvious: we as human beings are part of the natural world and thus depend on it. Whether it is a virgin forest or domesticated agriculture, I believe they are both forms of wilderness. Therefore, the food I eat is a product of the wilderness, or in other words, nature. Without it I would not survive. The air we breathe is also a product of nature, for it is not manmade. It plays an essential role in the survival of the wilderness as well as for me. These examples, however, are very general. More specifically, wilderness plays an active role in my personal interests. For instance, I love to exercise, whether it is playing soccer or simply going on a jog. Nevertheless, these activities are best performed outside, in a grassy area, far from roads. Why? Because nature provides a refreshing sensation that allows one to breathe clean air and reunite with what we are essentially a part of; more specifically, “the result is peace.” (Nash, 296) The wilderness is also a source of inspiration and again, tranquility. For this reason, whenever I feel overwhelmed I resort to a visit to the park. Although Audubon Park is man-made and visited frequently by joggers, bikers, equestrians, walkers (you name it), it does a good job at providing a natural oasis within an urban area. It is incredible how the breeze, the rippling of the water, and the picturesque landscape have the ability to transmit positive energy. In essence, what I mean to say is that wilderness is an open-ended term and to me it encompasses almost anything that is in some way connected to the natural world.