It seems to be engrained in human nature to take things for granted. I, of course, have to remind myself every day that I am no exception to this. I call home to a small mountain town where the prevalence of nature far outweighs civilization. My childhood was full of dirt stained jeans and playing outside until sundown. As I grew through my angsty teenage phase, though, I recall the frustration of feeling like I never had anything to do. Our movie theatre has been “closed for winter” for years, we don’t have many restaurants to choose from, and we most definitely do not have a mall. In fact, we didn't even have a Wal-Mart until I was a junior in high school- and even that was a milestone. As far as entertainment goes, you had better get creative. I spent most of high school dreaming of the day I would move away and find a new home filled with new places. That day has come and gone for me and with it has come a great change of heart. This weekend I was able to trek back to my small town from Athens. My first priority was to tackle my best friend with hugs and find some big adventure for the day. We were both living in bigger cities now and find ourselves missing all the things we weren't able to find in our new homes. We made our way into the wilderness, turned our phones off, and picked a trail to wander down. All we could hear was the breeze in the trees, leaves crunching under our feet, and full laughter from each of us. As we approached one of the trail heads, I spotted a sign that stated, “Leave It As You Found It.” They were probably just six simple words that anyone else would have skimmed over. However, I found that it addressed much greater problems of change and destruction. Everyone knows that littering is wrong and that they are supposed to be kind to mother nature. Humans, along with taking things for granted, have a very precise knack for being completely reckless. We run right over things and leave great big messes. This isn't just a request for hikers, but one for humanity as a whole. We make our homes in people just as often as we do in places. Humans are just as fragile as the balance of Earth. We should throw our words just as carefully as we throw away our trash. Let things be as beautiful as they are and do no harm. It seems such a simple lesson, but I see people struggling with it daily. I realize now how truly privileged I am to have a home in a place that constantly reminds me of this. It never gets any easier to leave, but I hope it always remains as beautiful as I find it to be.
