We’ve lost our sense of nature. What it means to be a human being. Whether you believe in the big bang theory or in the Story of Creation in which God created Heaven and Earth, human beings have undoubtedly lost their sense of nature.

From the beginning, humans were a part of nature. We acted, adapted, and allowed ourselves to change this. In 2017, we are no longer a part of nature, but rather, we live in it. We utilize it.

The major problem with living and utilizing nature rather than being one with it, is that we begin to lose our sense of it. What does that mean? Our sense?

Our sense is our start, where we come from. Where did we start?

We started with nature. Earth. Dirt. Foliage. Sand. Water. Mountains. Valleys. Here is where I’ve seen our sense of nature lost the most: in cities and at the beach. Of course, cities are composed of man-made buildings, roads, and concrete sidewalks. The beach is not the same.

I enjoy my last few days of summer before the fall semester begins the same way every year, I go to the beach. As I was enjoying my last few days, I ended up near the same “kind” of people. Or as locals would say, the same “kind” of bennies.

Bennies are the worst form of tourists, because they hit the Jersey shore every summer like a hurricane. I am never prepared for it. But these bennies really taught me something about the way that our own human nature has evolved.

I’m laying on my beach towel, using another beach towel for my head. I have my medium-sized beach bag packed, and my flip flops sitting next to me. That’s it. I do not pack a chair, or a cooler, or an umbrella, or a sun tent. I pack as little as possible for the beach because of one thing: I want to spend time with nature.

I understand these bennies and locals as well, really just want the beach for the most luxurious factor: sun and fun. But there is a deeper meaning to going to the beach and it goes beyond meditation and relaxation for me, it goes back to nature.

When I lay on the sand, I don’t want to be that far away from it. I don’t want to have a big hat on. I don’t want to be under a man-made tent or umbrella. I want to dig my hands into the sand and listen to the sound of the waves without the distractions of the world.

Beyond these lazy beach days, we see this in other aspects of our lives. Particularly, through technology. When people are spending time in nature or greenery, they are distracted and disoriented with the use of their cell phones and laptops.

Taking care of our Earth is a popular debate at the moment and unfortunately many are not taking it seriously. In this way, they have lost their sense of nature. Too far into the depths of man-made existence are these specific human beings. For those of us still trying to be one with nature, keep on keeping on.