I just finished reading Richard Louv‘s The Nature Principle.  I was privileged to hear him speak a few weeks ago, here in Vancouver.  As I told him then, his book, Last Child in the Woods, completely changed the way I want to parent.  After reading The Nature Principle, I can say, it has completely changed the way I want to live my life.

In fact, it has informed many of the sneaking suspicions that I have had for awhile now.

Suspicions like the feeling that I need to reconnect with nature.  I want that for my children, and myself.  Suspicions about my career path, and how I can add environmentalism / conservation / good old-fashioned love of nature to my life.  The suspicion that my time spent on a small island off the coast of Vancouver was one of the most enlightening times of my life.  And not just for the friendships I made.  For the time spent in nature.  The ocean breeze blowing off rocky cliffs; the sound of whales passing, their flukes slapping the waves; the trees, and the tall grasses.  The sound of birdsong, the sightings of deer and other forest creatures.  I can feel these things in my heart.

Our kids are named for the sea and the forest.

I have known about this nature connection for a long time.  But I have not known exactly what to do about it.  To be honest, I still don’t know.  I do know, however, that my mind is whirling.  Something I always consider a good thing.

For my family, I am going to join a family nature club (or start one – anyone interested?).  For myself, I am going to start loving my present landscape. Exploring it with a keener eye, and photographing it with my camera.  Those are two small steps.  But, I have a great feeling there will be more.  And I can hardly wait to find out where this will lead me.

So, shameless plug for a book that has the power to change lives and the world.  It’s dense, and choc-full of information.  Read it and be inspired.