Environmental Influence

I think the non-human environment shaped me in major ways before I was even old enough to realize my affinity for it.

Looking back, I can't identify a particular moment when my connection to the environment or animals came into my consciousness. It's almost like that feeling was always there--a part of my being.

Until I recently read Earth Emotions: New Words for a New World by Glenn A. Albrecht, the vagueness of when and how I formed my connection with the environment puzzled me. The connection was so strong that I figured it must have come from a major event or moment. However, Albrecht's book made me rethink that assumption. Specifically, Albrecht emphasized how the places where we live (and especially the places where we spend our childhood) influence us over time in profound ways.

Albrecht details his deep emotional bonds for particular places where he has lived and explains how those places shaped his perspective as he grew older. Often, this kind of environmental influence reaches us on an unconscious level, but that subliminal connection makes the impact even more powerful.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to experience a strong connection to the non-human environment when I was young. Over time, the connection molded my perspective in ways that I am still working to understand. I do know that the connection and its impact are invaluable.

We tend to think about our influence on the environment without considering how the environment influences us, so it might be a good idea to analyze the reciprocal aspects of that relationship in more detail.