The World We Forgot

A few days ago, while I was in Colombia, I thought about the privilege I had to be able to walk in those beautiful forests, beaches, rivers, and deserts. As I went through the stunning trails looking at the birds, trees, and flowers, and felt the rain in my face, I knew that each day was a new and unexpected gift.

While immersing myself in nature, I realized that living in a city has taken away the most basic and simple pleasures. We have lost the ability to see, to wonder, to discover. We live and work in places where we do not even feel if it is cold or hot outside, where we never see the sky, and where technology shows us images of our wonderful planet but prevents us from seeing, touching, and enjoying it. Nature has become a virtual experience and is no longer something we can touch, feel, inhale, or hear.

How long has it been since you had a firefly hidden in your hands to see it glow?

When did you last walk barefoot on wet grass, sand, or mud and let your feet connect to the ground?

How long have you not seen a full moon or just wait silently for a shooting star?

When was the last time you followed the flight of butterflies, the path of a caterpillar, or the tiny ants carrying leaves, seeds and flowers?

When did you swim in a river, feel the force of a waterfall, or walk slowly in the rain?

When did you wake up early to see a luminous sunrise wrapped in a golden glow?

Have you ever listened carefully to the song of birds, the buzzing of bees, and the croaking of frogs?

How long ago was the last time you were lying on the ground looking for fantastic animals, goblins, and dragons among the pink clouds of a sunset?

Have you seen the spiderwebs laden with dewdrops, the wet and fluffy moss in the forest, and the amazing shapes and colors of fungi hidden under the trees?

Can you recognize the scent of damp earth and wildflowers? Have you ever smelled the salty scent of the waves and the aroma of the trees full of ripe fruits?

Have you ever looked for seashells on the beach or smooth stones and shiny seeds?

Have you seen the rainbow after a big storm, or listen to the wind lulling the leaves in the fall?

Have you felt the soft breeze that caresses you, the gale that surrounds you, or the strong gusts that push you?

There is such a wonderful and fantastic world that is constantly changing. It amazes us, surprises us, and brings us new and unknown emotions. Look for it! Live it up!