“When a man moves away from nature

   his heart becomes hard”

    (Native American proverb)

 

I appreciate that to many a “Stockport Man”, being “ded ‘ard” is a good thing!

 

Certainly, so far as the “heart” at least is concerned, I must however, beg to differ and advocate (where possible), calm and sensitive thoughts/action - soft, and not hard!

 

Those who know me will, be very surprised to hear me say this! I might not get it right (most of the time!), but it is nevertheless, a personal aspiration.

 

In accordance with the above proverb, I am coming around to believing that an increased immersion in the natural world, is truly facilitative of a softening.

 

I guess that one thing that has made me think about this, is a book that was recently given to me, about, so called “green man” carvings. You will no doubt have come across one or more of these, and here is a picture, which provides an example:



They are generally considered to represent our close relationship with the natural world, and its importance to us. 

 

The above picture is of a green man carving (from the late 14th century), which adorns a nearby manor house. In this example, the family crest of the then owners, appears immediately above it.

 

By way of an apt (and no doubt, coincidental) allegory, the family that acquired the manor, shortly after the creation of this effigy, had the following family emblem:



I am unaware of any local juxtaposition of this, with a green man. Maybe it is symbolic of a move “away from nature”, and the hanged man, looks rather hard-hearted to me!

 

And that is more than enough, background digression! I am now going to say a few words about my (largely) newfound and increasingly close relationship with the natural world.

 

·      I spend very many hours outdoors. 

 

If I am not working or sitting, in my garden, it is a reasonable bet that I am engaging in a regular, long country walk. I am blessed with much, nearby countryside and take great pleasure in availing myself of it. I probably walk between 30 and 40 miles per week, now.

 

I have developed an interest in seeking out new (to me) and obscure territory. I look for little used, and hard to find footpaths. I call them “my secret paths”.

 

·      Phil v2.0 has grown vegetables. His predecessor had little interest in this.

 

I also forage for blackberries and elderberries, that are in plentiful supply, about a quarter of a mile from my house.

 

·      I am nurturing a love of flowers, and always have a stocked vase in both of my kitchen and living room.

 

·      I am keen to do what I, reasonably can, to encourage an abundance of nearby nature. 

 

I have 2 buddleia bushes and am pleased with the number of butterflies that they attract. Similarly mosses in my lawns, seem very attractive to bees. This also gives me a good excuse to keep the lawnmower in my garden shed!

 

I have 3 uninvited European ash trees growing in my garden. Here’s one of them:




 I appreciate that their proximity to buildings means that they can’t stay there forever, but I am very unwilling to remove them, and will delay doing so, for as long as possible.

 

All of this provides good examples of loss = opportunity. My former life was overfull and almost exclusively human centred. A chance to build a new life, gives me a greater opportunity to shape it as I think fit, and I have chosen to greatly increase, the role played by the natural environment.

 

It provides me with many sensory and other pleasures – and I need all that I can get, of these. 

 

For example:

 

·      Notwithstanding sensory impairments, many things that I see, smell, and hear are very lovely indeed

 

·      it can and does, generate new interests and positive concerns

 

·      and importantly, I am finding the natural world to be, often restful and calming and it does not encourage a hardening of my heart. In fact, quite the opposite!

 

These things, might not have generated so much enjoyment in the v1 days, but (and I haven’t said it for quite a few posts – so, here goes!)

 

Different isn’t necessarily worse!

 

 

 

 

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