Meredith's Memories

The Trinity River in Fort Worth is undeniably my go-to destination for a walk. I have frequented the Trinity dozens of times, and it never fails to impress me. With every stroll along its path, I uncover something new, and therein lies the magic. Even in the seemingly ordinary, I find profound beauty, a realization that echoes our class discussions about appreciating the simplicity of nature. Thus, shifting our perspective from what nature does for us to what we can do for nature is essential. It's a call for society to focus on fostering respect and sustainability, ensuring that the intrinsic beauty of nature remains a timeless gift for generations to come. This afternoon nature walk on the Trinity consisted of clear skies and a gentle breeze. Wholeheartedly embracing what we’ve discussed in class, I found myself immersing in every detail of my surroundings, from the pebbles at my feet to the rustling leaves on the trees overhead. The radiant reflection of the fall trees on the wa...

Upon delving into Mary Oliver's enchanting poem "August," I found myself swept away by a rush of joy, accompanied by a poignant twinge of nostalgia. Since as far back as memory serves, my family's annual summer tradition for my birthday involved a pilgrimage to Eckert’s Farm in Belleville, Illinois, where we eagerly plucked peaches and blackberries. And this past August was no exception. We awakened predawn so that we could try and beat the blistering summer heat, where we drove from St. Louis to Belleville singing songs and playing car games to pass the time. We then would embark on the harvesting of a lifetime, filling basket after basket of peaches and blackberries galore. While picking, we always stop and have a competition to see who can find the juiciest and biggest piece of fruit upon which we can all indulge. These are some of my most cherished memories that I hold so deeply in my heart. Mary Oliver identifies a certain freedom of the fruit being untouched by ...

The whimsical and captivating poem “Hum” written by Mary Oliver immediately caught my attention, further enriching my knowledge and understanding of bees and their crucial role in the ecosystem. I was enthralled by the opening line of the poem “what is this dark hum among the roses”, describing the simple joy experienced by the bees and the domino effect their joy brings to the nature around them, like when sipping the flower’s nectar. As previously mentioned in the classroom and in blog posts, I absolutely love flowers and have a particular connection to roses, so I was hooked on this poem from the start. The simplicity of the bees’ existence is noted several times throughout the poem and encourages the reader to appreciate the beauty in simplicity. It reminds me to anchor myself in the moments of joy and tangible pleasures, appreciating the small things that lay the groundwork for life’s grandeur. Bees, although small and seemingly meaningless, play a powerful role in society through...

Mary Oliver’s captivating poem “When the Roses Speak, I Pay Attention” showcases the allure of the natural world and the simple yet profound aspects of existence. The poem first describes the idea of extravagance and encourages the reader that if they are “able to be extravagant”, then they will be “hugely and damply extravagant”. Extravagance can take a myriad of forms, through living life to the fullest while embracing abundance and richness. Contrastingly, Mary Oliver details the shedding of inhibitions and the letting go of material concerns in the pursuit of joy in the following phrase: “Then we will drop foil by foil to the ground. This is our unalterable task, and we do it joyfully.” (124) This “unalterable task” of dropping foil symbolizes a lifelong commitment to living life with abandonment. As humans, we are constantly evolving, changing, and growing. We shed our skins in different stages of life and experience a transformative metamorphosis in pivotal moments. As I soon ent...

This unique Halloween class was an absolute delight as we embarked on a campus-wide scavenger hunt adorned with thought-provoking quotes from none other than Henry David Thoreau. I absolutely loved this group’s creativity in allowing us to venture outdoors through the engaging activity of a scavenger hunt. In doing so, we forged connections with various classmates, gaining a deeper understanding of each other. Furthermore, due to the arrangement of the classroom, getting to know the individuals not seated in close proximity can be rather challenging. As mentioned before, I am a social individual who loves connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life. In doing so, I hope to uncover common interests while broadening my perspective as an ethical thinker and global citizen. Traversing through campus in an attempt to piece together the Thoreau quote leading to the mystery building proved to be a bit challenging. One clue in particular stumped us: “as the nation grows, s...

I cannot believe how quickly five weeks have flown by at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge! Ever since reading the course description, I jumped at the opportunity to volunteer outdoors and make a positive, tangible impact on the environment. With a passion for volunteerism and community service, I was absolutely hooked. It is such an incredibly rare opportunity to enroll in a course where the learning and exploration is performed beyond the confines of a traditional classroom. Our days at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge weren’t without challenges, but that’s part of life! Our last day, in particular, was marked by a torrential downpour. Rain or shine, we pressed on as we possessed an unwavering commitment to our task. I thoroughly enjoyed using pliers to cut through bamboo and other brush, transforming the landscape. It was astonishing to see how much we cleared—so much so that I could no longer see the road! Time The time absolutely flew by as we joyfully talked, laughed...

Just like that, we were already back at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge for Week 2! This time around, I was feeling much more confident as I knew exactly what I was doing and what was expected of me--I had developed a rhythm the previous week consisting of collecting the brush, disposing it in the wood chipper, and repeating the cycle again and again. Thus, I felt extremely prepared and ready to take on another day. I also was greatly looking forward to returning to the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge to see how the landscape had changed in the past week and if our progress was still intact. Fortunately, the area mirrored how we left it, and the brush remained cleared. So, I was incredibly jazzed up for another day of meaningful work and expanding on our already tremendous progress! However, our second day at the Nature Reserve showed that adaptability is critical as not everything always goes according to the plan! Overcoming challenges and pivoting when adversity arises i...