Starless Night (NJ6)


Starless Night (NJ6) 

I walked out into the parking lot after a long day of work in downtown Fort Worth and for some strange reason, there wasn't a star to be seen. Being from a small suburb of Austin, Texas, I am used to gazing out into the night and seeing millions of stars spanning across the entire dark sky. This came as a shock to me at first, since this is something that I considered unusual given my background. However, after looking into the concept a little more, I realized it is quite common in bigger cities. The light pollution from the city created an atmosphere that caused stars to be practically invisible in the sky. 

The contrasting environments of the hustle and bustle of a larger city that I currently inhabit, versus the small-town atmosphere of my upbringing, came as a wave of realization to how I view this world. It may seem like a simple fact, but by immersing yourself in nature, you gain a greater appreciation for it. By removing this aspect of an individual's life, it becomes much easier to forget that humans are simply temporary residents of this world. We as humans are only on this earth for a short amount of time in the grand scheme of things, and we need to ensure that we prolong the health of our environment for future generations to enjoy. 

In Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey states that "wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit, and as vital to our lives as water and good bread." From the starless night that I experienced, I learned to respect the origins of our civilization and follow the wise words of Abbey. Personally, nature is not something I can live without. 


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