Post from Michelle:
Dole: Hiking down the thin mountain trail I am in awe of my surroundings. The smell of damp earth greets my nose, I listen to the brook as it flows past my feet, and I try hard to memorize the details of my surroundings: the bark peeling from the trees, the change of light as clouds pass over the sun, the white magnolias as they bloom.
I study the colors and can't help but think they are perfect. Perfect is the green of the moss on the rocks, the red of the bird's belly as it flys overhead, the blue of the sky, the purple of the crocus flower, the white of the snow covering the mountains.
Up here, colors are richer, brighter, and more alive. It might be because the air is so clean and unpolluted that the colors are more vivid. I am more convinced though, the truth lies in the eye of the beholder. Traveling for such a long time has given me new eyes to see. The colors at home are just as perfect û in the flowers, butterflies, and sunsets. But here I see them, appreciate them, and cherish them.
One of the most profound results of travel is my new appreciation for nature, the environment and our need to protect it. Over the past year we have visited rainforests, marshes, desert, mountains, tropical beaches, glaciers, and jungle and seen multitudes of animals in the wild. My heart has been full with the beauty and diversity of the earth. Equally, my heart has been hurt by the pollution, deforestation, and disrespect I have witnessed.
I know I am a changed person for what I have seen. I am now much more aware of how much water and electricity I use, which items I can recycle and which I can not. I feel much more like a partner to the earth instead of only viewing natural resources as something to use - a valuable lesson in today's world.
I study the colors and can't help but think they are perfect. Perfect is the green of the moss on the rocks, the red of the bird's belly as it flys overhead, the blue of the sky, the purple of the crocus flower, the white of the snow covering the mountains.
Up here, colors are richer, brighter, and more alive. It might be because the air is so clean and unpolluted that the colors are more vivid. I am more convinced though, the truth lies in the eye of the beholder. Traveling for such a long time has given me new eyes to see. The colors at home are just as perfect û in the flowers, butterflies, and sunsets. But here I see them, appreciate them, and cherish them.
One of the most profound results of travel is my new appreciation for nature, the environment and our need to protect it. Over the past year we have visited rainforests, marshes, desert, mountains, tropical beaches, glaciers, and jungle and seen multitudes of animals in the wild. My heart has been full with the beauty and diversity of the earth. Equally, my heart has been hurt by the pollution, deforestation, and disrespect I have witnessed.
I know I am a changed person for what I have seen. I am now much more aware of how much water and electricity I use, which items I can recycle and which I can not. I feel much more like a partner to the earth instead of only viewing natural resources as something to use - a valuable lesson in today's world.