As I proceeded through the aged wooden gate, the sight of the luscious greenery and the soft scent of fruits and flowers welcomed me. On my left, I saw numerous foreign plants with fruits that only a fraction of the world may ever know about. On my right were bushes of flowers from Vietnam and other tropical countries showing off their bright pink, orange, red, blue, and violet hues, all for the world to see. Hidden between all the oddities lie plants that most people find recognizable as well. The fruits from the vegetation provide an aesthetic splash of color here and there, which breaks the monotony of all the foliage. After walking down the path a little further, the enclosure opens up to a spacious lawn where you can see the lines as the mower cut the grass, leaving behind a pattern you would see on a golf course. Surrounding the perimeter of the lawn are flowers of all varieties: tulips, roses, lilacs, Asteraceae, and many more from Southeast Asia. These flowers provide a protective barrier that separates the busy modern world from the tranquility of nature. Furthermore, on the opposite side to the gate leading into the backyard lies a garden overflowing with nature’s bounty. Fruits and vegetables from numerous regions of the world, squash, beans, tomatoes, peppers, dragonfruit, oranges, and more plants from other regions of the world are found sitting together in harmony. The cycle of nature is never broken by the hands of man. Instead, they have been able to thrive thanks to the attentive effort of man, and in return, they provide for mankind.
However, I didn’t always think that way. I learned that lesson through my dad. My dad and I invested ten years of labor into our backyard. During this time we slowly terraformed the area, making sure not to damage any part of nature, but to transform it into our masterpiece with what nature already provided for us. Trees were planted to provide a cool, refreshing barrier, flowers were raised to add splotches of color to break up the foliage, and plants were grown to provide nourishment for everyone to share. Then rocks were overturned to create footpaths, and the rain was collected to make sure life could be sustained.
When we first started, my dad and I worked diligently, but I never understood why we couldn’t maybe chop down a tree, or burn down some weeds. But as I watched my dad work, I realized that his purpose was to help both nature and my family. It was then that I started noticing the small details and gifts that nature presented for me. Eventually, I started strolling in and out of my backyard several times a day. I may have done this randomly or with some intent between each trip I took. However, every time I came to my backyard, it was an escape from reality. Nature possesses a special healing power that relaxes the mind and soul, and my backyard was and still is the quickest escape to nature for myself. All the little details that we can pick up on when we are by ourselves with nature helps us to appreciate the serenity yet simplicity of nature. The light whistling of the wind, the colors of the forest as the season changed, the different sounds that each animal makes, all of these factors combine to create a symphony that is always playing but only heard when one wants to listen and tune in. So just stop, take a break, tune in, and let nature heal the wounds of society.
Nature from a Small Window 