Green Mountain grandeur
Farmland along Route 17 in New Haven, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Nature is good at reminding us that we’re part of the vast ecosystem of life. There is so much it richly shares with us, well beyond the borders of our own experience.
That reminder hit home for me on Saturday, when my daughter and I traveled north on I-89 to Huntington, Vermont, for her first cross-country skiing time trial of the season. Now that I work from home, and with travel activities obviously being limited over the past year, we haven't driven past large, consecutive, amazing views of farmland for long stretches of time, as we did Saturday. So, that was a welcome change, and a special treat.
On the way back, we meant to head through Waterbury, but, somewhere along the way I missed a turn and drove the long road into Bristol, and then into New Haven. And I was glad I did — we were treated to stunning views of local farms, the surrounding lands and the mountains beyond. The tapestry of nature was welcoming us to take in more scenery, and I couldn't resist hopping out of the car and capturing it on the camera. One example is the photo above, along Route 17 in New Haven, a tiny, rural community with just under 2,000 people. The grandeur of Vermont is the main feature, but this moment also portrays the combined experience of man and nature, co-existing harmoniously in this precious landscape.
The peaceful scene was a return to something I felt early last year, as daily life quickly turned into a home-based routine. I felt a gradual, beautiful renewal of my connection with nature because I was reconnecting with it, being out in it more often. Seeing so many vast expanses in one afternoon this past weekend was like reconnecting with an old friend, the state I love. Whenever the time is right, I look forward to such a drive again. Seeing so many expressions of nature is a blessing, and a reminder of how vast the world is.
Those kinds of moments take us out of ourselves long enough to remember we're part of an existence that's much greater than just us. Truly we are connected with each other, not separate, and it benefits us to move forward with an open mind and a gentle heart. Nature represents that openness and peace like nothing else can, and we must embrace those qualities and reflect them back to the world. Through that, we forge stronger, more loving connections with each other, and can genuinely share the benefits of our collective greatness — a greatness our majestic valleys and mountains so powerfully exemplify.
— Gareth Henderson
