Learning the land: Brooklyn
- Jeanine Ruiz
- Aug 11
- 2 min read
Who are the natives? What plants, trees, insects and animals would I find around my area?
Admittedly, I wasn't really inspired to know this information. Everything felt monotone. But the truth is, I can't dislike something I don't know.
The parks I've visited so far in Brooklyn have a different energy from home. It's unfamiliar. It felt strange to not connect with the nature. Usually, it's effortless. For a while, this disconnection reminded me that this isn't my home.
...
One day, I looked at plants sprouting through dried leaves. They looked identical to some at home. In that moment:
"No matter where you go, the earth is a part of you, and you are a part of the earth. Your home is where ever you are."
My perspective shifted. Immidiately, I felt more relaxed and safe. At that point, I began digesting the land, the energy. That shift opened me up.
To observe the details, I have to slow down. The more I look, the more I see. Things, their meaning, their relation to life and the world, expands. Suddenly, the squirrel has a personality.
Stay a little longer and I see when he's full. Stay even longer and I see what tree he goes to next and how he gets there.
Just what are they up to?
Look at that color. What does it mean?
The texture is not what I imagined!
I wonder if bees take naps too?
yes, they do.
I continue to be fascinated by what I see in every day life.
