My Outside Magic

Last Friday, I spent the afternoon hiking in Tandy Hills Natural Area. Wildflowers filled the fields in almost every hue imaginable. iNaturalist allowed me to identify a few of the wildflower species as engelmann daisy, stiff greenthread, dakota mock vervain, and antelopehorn milkweed. I noticed butterflies, dragonflies, bees, birds, and ants along the trail. I even saw a bumblebee on an antelopehorn milkweed plant, and I was able to get the attached picture of the scene. It was sunny but not too hot because the clouds offered intermittent shade. A lovely breeze made the walk enjoyable when the sun peeked through the clouds. The sky was inspiring with scattered fluffy white clouds. I felt in touch with nature because I only used my phone to take pictures and fully engaged with the environment around me. Hearing the crunch of the trail beneath my shoes, birds chirping in nearby trees, and wind whistling through plants led me to focus on ordinary sounds that I hear every day. Touching and smelling some of the plants, hearing nature’s noises, and observing my surroundings allowed me to immerse myself with four of the five senses. 

Upon reflection, I realized that finding the extraordinary in the ordinary results from increased awareness. Awareness of the natural surroundings, attention to detail, and dedicated reflection are vital to understand the depth of the outdoors. While I didn’t experience a great epiphany on my excursion, I noticed how small aspects of the environment can have large impacts. For example, I saw one bee in particular pollinating a flower. It was simply following instincts, yet its role is necessary for the survival of various plants. I usually don’t spend time pondering these observations in nature; therefore, this intentional experience of seeking the extraordinary allowed me to realize how interconnected each flower, bee, tree, shrub, etc. are. I felt magic from observing and critically thinking about how diverse and expansive nature is. I noticed the cityscape in the distance yet felt nature’s grandeur overpower the buildings, emphasizing the complexity and superiority of nature to manmade things. I’m grateful that I spent the afternoon studying and contemplating nature because I felt the magic of a bee continuing the life cycle of flowers, dragonflies dancing through wildflowers, and grasses succumbing to wind by bending. This experience led me to realize the importance of each plant, animal, element, and resource in the environment since each ordinary being or thing serves an extraordinary purpose.