Sociologists tell us that Americans now spend 90% of their time indoors. Spiritual mentors, however, note the importance of engagement with nature. Beings made from the dust of the earth lose something of their very soul when separated from nature. The following narrative from Dave and Janice Chase conveys well the joys and values of engaging intimately with the natural world. Think of your own stories to tell.
~Peter Boogaart, Caring for Creation Co-Coordinator
Our Life on the Water
Time on the water has been a factor in our lives from an early age. Both of us grew up in families that enjoyed nature and spent time on the waters of Michigan. This love of the outdoor life has continued on in our marriage and has produced a wonderful variety of memories.
While sailing in a small boat with young children has its challenges, we watched our young daughters enjoy activities such as fishing, swimming, and collecting blueberries in Lake Huron’s beautiful North Channel. The beauty of pine scattered islands sprinkled with brown to pink granite cliffs was enhanced by seeing our girls adapt to tight living quarters on a small boat.
As our daughters grew to adulthood and married, we had the pleasure of encouraging our grandchildren to enjoy nature. Through sailing, kayaking, swimming, and hiking, their enjoyment, understanding, and respect for nature grew.
Now we continue to have experiences such as viewing wildlife at close range from our kayaks to tropical sunsets and night sailing passages filled with the majesty of the constellations and northern lights. We have seen the beauty of Michigan’s Great Lakes and inland waters as well as that of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico as our sailing adventures took us farther from home.
Life on the water has not always been a joyful escape, since we have experienced tedious boat maintenance in hot, tropical environments, stressful days at anchor in winter gales and tropical storm Josephine, and seeing trash from the Atlantic wash up on an uninhabited island in the northern Bahamas.
Throughout all, we do treasure our time on the water and embrace the beauty of nature. We are ever mindful of the responsibilities placed on us to be good stewards of our world.
Caring for Creation is so much more than an easy to say catch phrase. It demands effort and work to protect the world in which we inhabit.
~David and Janice Chase