The house on the hill across the valley has been my subject more or less every day since I came here in September 2018.
It’s not the house itself that interests me, but the surrounding scenery and sky.
Though I was struck when I scrolled through the latest images, by how often that house is bathed in sunshine, even through the thickest cloud.
One thinks of “divine light”.
But that’s just a visual association we make.
If you call Mother Nature “God”, then I would accept that it is divine.
Personally, while I am awed by Nature, respect and revere her, I do not call her God.
Despite thick, low cloud last night, the Sun sent her last rays to paint the hills in Fall colours
It is my conviction that mankind should be wary of disrespecting Nature. One needs only to consider the enormous damage and death she may wreak upon us when we choose to ignore her needs for the planet.
It is convenient for us to believe that the human species is above all others, that we have “dominion” over them.
We are definitely different.
But certainly not better.
If we were better, we would overcome the Darwinian concept of “survival of the fittest”.
But where animals instinctually follow that rule, humans are driven by baser emotions.
While perhaps the vast majority would be content to exist in simple comfort, for many this can never suffice.
We are fearful. Of losing our home, our food source, our very lives.
Why? Because we are too many. Yet we breed more, out of fear that those others will out-number us.
And we are endowed with too many emotions.
Perhaps the worst is greed.
Those who are never satisfied , learn to manipulate the rest, turning fear into hate:
Those other people who share our planet are different and will come to steal from us and they may harm us.
They are different, so we cannot trust them.
They are different, so they can’t be as good as us.
The more different they look, the more they are a threat.
Earlier, I was reading a journalist’s factual account of attempts to rescue refugees fleeing across the Mediterranean from North Africa.
Many thousands of them drown.
Those who don’t face a life of great uncertainty, but at least they are alive.
Unless they are murdered by someone who resents them and fears them or hates them.
Wouldn’t it be better if all those people stayed where they were and worked to change their situation?
They just bring their problems with them, don’t they?
Perhaps, but in many cases their situation is terrifying and life-threatening. How much is too much? How can we know we wouldn’t run away?
Opportunist swine sell them the idea that life will be far better if they flee, which can be”made to happen” for a tidy amount.
Not all refugee victims drown. Some suffocate in trucks, some are abandoned to freeze to death, some fall from the hold of an aircraft.
They meet death in any number of terrible ways.
People who trade in human misery are the lowest of all life forms.
While all of this goes on, the rest of the world carries on as if those people don’t exist.
Well really, who wants to think about all that? Sometimes I feel like an enabler.
Then the big shock: Now, there are a lot of refugees who actually look like us. Now, we are paying attention.
Now, we care. Because if it’s happening to those people, who look like us, what if it happens to us?
Of late I have been reading historical novels and the theme is all too horribly familiar.
Whether it was the ancient Romans or the Mongol hordes, it has always been about conquering and dominating and getting rid of all those undesirable others, oh and the poor.
The poor are handy for fighting wars and doing the dirty work. But don’t let them become too numerous or get too big for their boots.
Can’t have that.
Tomorrow I’ll try for a sunnier topic.
Thank you, Carolyn, for the beautiful pictures, and your musings are always interesting.
Joanna
Let’s get back to the cats
I read today, and I’ve seen it before – Mankind needs nature. Nature does not need mankind!
As to refugees and inequality, so many other situations are forgotten whilst everyone sees, and discusses Ukraine. Of course it is important, but so is Central African Republic, Somalia, Burkina Faso, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Nigeria, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, and Palestine. There are many, many more, and millions of our fellow citizens who are suffering and dying.
Perhaps Nature will win the ultimate battle!
I think she must.
The Native American tribes in that continent appeared to have completely understood and respected the connections between humans and nature at one time. This applies to most indigenous peoples around the world who were conquered, killed, and then eventually contained by white settlers. Perhaps we need to turn to their descendants, and ask them to tell us how it all works?
Best wishes, Pete.
Completely agree Pete. The is an institute in Driggs Idaho called Earthfire that is devoted to just this. I support them in my humble way and would love to have been able to go there and spent the rest of my life contributing because I think it’s the only way for us. http://www.earthfireinstitute.org/
Human (or child) trafficking … like you said, it makes me sick to the stomach. When I read about these things, it upsets me for days … how is it possible that these terrifying things happens EVERY day – and all the while our lives are just continue as normal?
Is it then insensitive from me to rather concentrate on your amazing images in this post: What amazing colours in some of your pictures … fluffy bluish skies, bright orange trees and black fields … nature is providing us with such amazing artwork.
Yes. Watching the natural world is what keeps me from despair!
Wonderful photos ! Well written thanks for sharing 😊💕👍