Blinded by the light

We as humans are easily fooled, bombarded by faith and science always looking for something to believe, searching for the facts. It does not have to be that complicated; there is so much on this earth that we will never decode or discover, and light years of galaxy that we will never understand. The reality is that we are small, tiny microscopic organisms that are single handedly destroying ecosystems. Our planet will always be here no matter how much oil we spill or chemicals we burn, this earth will survive. As for humans and all the living ecosystems, they can all be terminated.

We are loosing sight of just how small we really are, caught up in our technology and growth of the human experience. There are many things that help us see the bigger picture such as new life, regeneration such as flourishing growth after a forest fire, death, and even the night sky.  The stars connect us to a world so detached from our own, larger than thought, imagination, and destruction. Through all the economic growth and adaptation we are losing darkness, we can now go days without seeing the stars, and not even notice. Speakers from the film The City Dark discuss all different effects we are having on the night sky and what we are loosing when we can no longer see it. One speaker I related with said, “If our civilization didn’t see the stars and didn’t see how big the universe was, would they come to believe that they’re more important in this much tinier universe because that’s all they see?”. Sadly I think it has already happened, many of the world’s most “powerful” people live in very large cities; these people are making decisions for entire countries. There is an obvious disconnect from the danger of our expansion and nature in such civilization. 

Image source: http://www.darksky.org/assets/media/A1-05.jpg

Sadly the loss of darkness in cities has been a slow gradual process, every time a new parking lot or community is build there is just a little more light in the sky. What is the most troublesome is the idea of children never seeing the night sky in all of its glory, some children don’t have opportunities to leave the city and will grow up learning about the stars from stickers and screens but will never experience the wonder of looking up and seeing millions of starts at once. We are becoming so large that, “our society is kind of taking over the wilderness, but no one is really noticing it”. This that’s does not mean there is no hope, there are many ways to decrease light pollution and in tern benefit our own health and restore nature to its former glory we just need to look past ourselves as a society and make a concious effort to change.

Canadian nature

Growing up in Canada I took for granted the environment I was raised in. Although I live in a big city I am not far from the mountains and the beautiful night sky. When I was twelve I went to an eco camp with my classmates, we drove out to the mountains and stayed for a number of days in large cabins. I can’t quite remember when in the year this was, there was a lot of snow but it wasn’t bitterly cold outside. We spent the days going on hikes through the mountains, playing animal games, doing critical thinking activities, and learning about nature.  I remember one night specifically we walked out to an open field and learned about the stars. Our camp leader pointed out various constellations like The Big Dipper, The Little Dipper, and Orion’s Belt. He also showed us where Jupiter is but I don’t recall being able to locate it.

What fascinated me most about the mountain sky was the Milky Way, in the city you can see all the constellations we learned about but you cannot see the Milky Way. Looking up just and seeing what looks like a millions lights suspended in the sky honestly takes your breath away. It reminds me of being downtown and looking up while surrounded by skyscrapers, it makes you dizzy and puts into perspective how small you are.  I can still remember what it was like laying outside in the snow, other than the chatter from my classmates and lecture from the camp leader there was no sound, no cars, no buzzing from streetlights or appliances.

Picture source: http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/photos.asp?ID=3003231



Being in the mountains in the winter gives you the most still feeling, on calm nights you can go outside and even though its cold you want to stay out forever. Sometimes the sky is so big it seems like you can see the curve in the earth, I don’t know if that’s what it really is but it sure feels like it. One of the things I miss most about Canada after moving to Texas is the mountains, being able to look beyond the city and see them everyday spoiled me and I want them back! It does not help that some of my friends work at ski resorts and post pictures online of all their fun work experiences. 

It is little life lessons like eco camp and personal experience that has made it harder to be away from home and the natural landscape. I definitely think that coming to Texas has made me appreciate the beautiful places I have been and where I come from. Even though I like the Texas heat and appreciate that it’s march and I am wearing shorts rather than a ski jacket I will always miss the mountains.

This is the city i grew up in, always sunny and the mountains always have snow (this is summer).

Calgary Alberta Canada

Picture source: http://www.fergie.ca/aboutcal.htm

Angry Love

 Hugo Williams' poem "Please come late” is a story about denial the narrator (man or woman) is trying to rationalize their feelings about waiting for a date that is already late. Half way through this poem there is a shift in the hopes of the narrator. In the beginning there is a sense that the date will be there soon, late for understandable reasons such as traffic or the cliché of being “fashionably late”. As the wait time progresses the mood changes. Early on there is a sense of playful waiting, eager to finally see this person who is probably on their way. As the wait time progresses the excitement fades, no longer would there be a happy reunion if this person did in fact show up. At first the narrator wants this person to come late, building up the moment, enjoying the tease. Now, waiting for longer than expected the narrator is upset and wanting to regain control. Evolving from “I want you to come late and surprise me because I miss you”, to realizing that they may not come at all, now “I didn’t even want to see you in the first place”. This feels safe because if they decided they did not want to see this person, there absence is not a disappointment. Even though the narrator has said they don’t care and they don’t want them to come at all, we know it’s a lie. This poem ends with a confession that no matter how late this person comes; they will have fallen in love with them anyway.

Picture source: http://imgfave.com/view/1597767

Julie Sheehan’s “Hate Poem” is also a concession of love. Although the title is misleading, this is a story about unconditional decisive love. The narrator (whom I assume is a women) is annoyed at the fact that there can be a person on earth that makes her feel like this. Probably coming into the relationship assuming that she would never have feelings for someone as she does for this person. She is angry that someone can have this much power over her, not being able to control the feelings she has toward this lover, and most importantly being openly vulnerable with someone she has fallen in love with. This hate could stem from an absence of love in her past, being in disbelief that her emotions are real, or being angry because of previous failed relationships.  

“Please Come Late” and “Hate Poem” have a number of parallels and corresponding themes between them. Denial is the most obvious; both authors describe a situation where there is skepticism towards one’s own feelings. In addition both narrators are annoyed with their human nature because it subjects them to being vulnerable. The narrator in “Please Come Late” is in a vulnerable situation: being stood up on a date, this opens many doors for personal insecurity and fear of judgment. The narrator in “Hate Poem” has opened herself up to love and be loved, for many people is the most vulnerable they can be. Both of these poems depict a situation of love you cannot get away from, the kind of love that consumes your thoughts, the kind of love that makes you angry, and a vulnerability that you crave.


Picture source: http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyftp5HReS1r10ir1o1_500.jpg