I love the presence of nature
and want to be present to it. I hike alone to lose myself in the Otherness of
the outdoors, and find myself home. The Ahwahnechees believed that humans are
kin with the animals and birds, the mountains, rivers, and the sky. How can I
come into nature and not pay attention to the members of my family?
To perceive what nature is
and what it is doing, I need to involve all my senses. Of course, I want to be
aware of large, predatory animals moving through the woods, but I also want to
see beyond the generalities and notice their specifics, how they look, smell,
and feel.
