Most of the nature I experience in my daily life now is fictional. It’s in the books, in the films, in my own memories and imagination. But when I pay attention to the hills of Arthur’s seat as I cycle around it on a crisp end of summer afternoon, I am in awe. The world is so so much more beautiful than any representation or memory of it.
I cannot wait for my son to see those things for the first time – the clouds, the trees, the bees. These days I keep well by reading and watching stories and by staring into his innocent eyes. I feel hopeful and I feel strong because I must. I must, for him. I must, like the characters from the stories thrust without a choice into adventures, quests and challenges by the mighty hand of their creators. In that moment, I too am just a character, a piece, moved by the hand of God. Then I must do my best to survive and make sure my son will be safe to grow and have control of his destiny even if I didn’t. Today I Will Remember The image of my son’s pure toothless smile. Every morning he is happy to be alive and to spend another day safe with me. I grab my notebook and scribble a note for him, maybe the beginning of a long letter. My dear boy, I swear we have tried. Whatever you came to find, perhaps it could have been worse. We tried to hold the ship a little bit longer but now it’s up to you to sail it or steer it. Are you inspired to write? If you are inspired to write a page based on keeping well and active in an age of climate and nature emergencies, we would be pleased to hear from you. We're looking for a maximum of 380 words for each reading and it must be an original piece written by the person submitting it. All entries that are published will be anonymous. For more information, or if you have any questions, email [email protected] Comments are closed.
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