If there’s one thing that binds Americans across generations, it’s a love for wild places.
While Valentine’s Day weekend is usually spent focused on that special someone, it’s worth remembering the love that fuels the wilderness movement. It’s a deep passion that inspired great Americans before us. And it continues to drive us today.
In the words of former President Jimmy Carter, “Like music and art, love of nature is a common language that can transcend political or social boundaries.”
That love sheds new insight into our circumstances—or even into ourselves. It’s a powerful thing to understand our place in nature. As popular author Cheryl Strayed observed, “The experience was powerful and fundamental. It seemed to me that it had always felt like this to be a human in the wild, and as long as the wild existed it would always feel this way.”
So this Valentine’s Day weekend, remember that a love as lasting as humankind’s for wilderness is a powerful thing. It’s a lasting love that survives regardless of our place in life. And it’s always there when we need it.
“There is a love of wild nature in everybody, an ancient mother-love showing itself whether recognized or no, and however covered by cares and duties,” said legendary Scottish-American naturalist John Muir.
Where will your love of wilderness take you? There are always volunteer opportunities to help save our wild backyard. Check out www.scotchmanpeaks.org to learn more.
