The importance of not taking nature for granted

Image by Darwin Vegher

Since I was a child, I had the joy of growing up in a place surrounded by nature, but I saw how many people were leaving this place little by little, including my older sisters, they always said they were leaving with the intention of looking for better jobs and a quieter life economically speaking, when I had to go with one of my sisters to the city everything was very different for me, where before there was dirt to play, now there was asphalt and cement.

At that time I felt that I was in a kind of prison, because I stayed at home locked up, because outside there was nothing to do and a car could hurt me, when I finally returned to the countryside to be surrounded by nature, I was very happy, not only to be reunited with relatives whom I love very much, but because I could feel free again in a natural area where I could appreciate what was around me.

Since then, I decided to stay in places like this, I lived for several years in a very rural area, where I had a job and also 2 of my children, who spent their first years playing freely with dirt (as they say here in my country, "creating antibodies") and watching the flowers grow everywhere, I was happy that they grew up free and could play without the fear of a car running over them, in that place everything was very close, hospitals, mini markets and so on, so we lived quietly.

Image by Max Bender

I remember that my favorite part of the day was when I got home, I would make coffee and take a rocking chair outside, I would watch my children play while I enjoyed watching beautiful sunsets without a building blocking my view, that really filled me with peace. But time passed and I had to move far away from there, however, the place I wanted to go to should also be surrounded by nature and so it was, I moved to Puerto Ayacucho, a town located in Amazonas.

I could have moved to the city and got a permanent job, but I wanted my children to grow up in a place where, although they also have to work, they can also feel free and enjoy what God gives us through his creation, living here has been very nice and although I visited the big cities of Venezuela to go shopping or sightseeing, I did not change my town for anything.

Sometimes for a person who lives in the city, it is difficult to coexist with nature even if you would like to, the lighting and pollution of the city sometimes makes the stars look more distant, however, even if you live in the city you can always take some time to live with nature, a picnic in a nearby park or take a trip to the beach, is something that can be liberating and can greatly recharge our energies.

Image by Nicole Geri

Nature influences a lot in our life, we are part of it and therefore we need it to live, even if we are used to live in a place surrounded by buildings, we will always need moments in which we can perceive it and that is why many have plants at home to feel it close, I have the joy of living surrounded by it and in fact I really like to plant and grow some fruits and vegetables, this fills us in an indescribable way.

When we give the importance that is due to the natural world, we are more aware and although everything around seems to be made to damage it, we for our part do our best to take care of it and admire it, after all it is the work of a loving creator who shows us through it, all the love he has for us.