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April 12, 2010
America, the beautiful: Appreciating our national parks
If you’re a nature lover like me, you likely share my appreciation for Teddy Roosevelt: I’m amazed by the fact that, more than a century ago, our 26th President had the foresight to set aside vast tracts of land so that future generations of Americans could see one day just how much Mother Nature has blessed us.
To me, there’s nothing more therapeutic than spending time in the Great Outdoors—and this is especially true of our national parks. There’s just something about standing alone in a wide, open space, listening to the whispering of the wind, that’s instantly calming. It’s also humbling: when you consider how much older the mountains are than mankind, and how many eons it’s taken the water and rain to transform the landscape into its current shapes … well, our Blackberrys and plasma TVs don’t seem nearly as impressive.
In this way, nature can be rejuvenating: It has the ability to pull us back into ourselves, to put things in perspective so that we can focus on what’s really important. Indeed, some of the best, deepest, and most important conversations Alan and I have shared have occurred during spontaneous walks outside. And to this day, Edward and Charlotte still talk about a family vacation to Yellowstone, where we camped outside in the frigid winter weather … went snowmobiling across the softly blanketed plains … and spotted buffalo with icy “beards” making their way to the park’s hot springs.
Have you ever spent time contemplating the beauty of Mother Nature in one of our national parks? If so, I’d love to hear about your experiences at harriet@gct.com.
In coming weeks, we’ll be spotlighting Russia, The Great Rivers of Europe, and France—so if you have stories (and pictures!) to share from your Grand Circle trips to these destinations, email them to me at harriet@gct.com.
Harriet Lewis