The natural world provides great nourishment.  The questions are boundless. The answers never cease to amaze in their detail. The questions never have an end. 

My early experience with this joy was found in all the places that resided outside of human manufactured dwellings, and explanations. 

Most of my life was spent treating this underlying coat rack, framework, that I hung all my new information on as a much admired playground that I inserted myself into, simply appreciating it as I did my thing. 

As doing my thing was being taken away from me, I clutched at it, perhaps even muttering “my precious”.

I still have a great appreciation, but I find myself not as loving of the trees as I used to be, when I used to fit myself into them. sometimes you have to give things up. I can be as nostalgic as the next person but not giving things up can be a form of self torment. 

Now, my appreciation is more academic, interesting, but not quite as nourishing.