Sense of Place

I've only lived in two states my entire life. Two very different states that are on opposite coasts: California and Florida.

When I first moved to Florida some of the first things I noticed about it was that it was very hot, dry, people looked orange, it's flat, beaches, bugs, and strange animals. It was quite a drastic contrast to compared to Northern California where people are pale, the weather is cool, there are mountains, and not many pesty bugs.

At first I didn't think that I would be able to find anything to enjoy about living here in Florida. Mostly because the tempo was different. I got used to a fast-paced, cemented environment with buildings everywhere. Afterall, I was used to being a city slicker and thought it was fun to navigate my way through the concrete jungle whenever I happened to be in the "big city" (San Francisco).

Things in Florida were just way too different. When I slept at night I could actually hear crickets, and not the sound of the Cal-Train thundering by.

Now that it has been several years later and I am still in SW Florida I've realized just how special it is here. I feel more connected to the surroundings because they are "natural" surroundings. My back patio has a view to the lake where many different animals such as alligators, birds, and turtles have found a home.

I've had the opportunity to do things here that I never thought to do while I was living in California. Perhaps the surroundings here just enlivened that part of me that wanted to visit and explore the local beaches, state parks, and to actually go out kayaking just so I can be in the sun and on the water.

Although living in California made me aware of the "environment" due to all the efforts California has made towards protecting the environment, green efforts, etc...  It was actually Florida that made me begin to feel "connected" towards the effort. The most logical explanation I can say this is so would be because of all the wildlife, plants, and bodies of water. It seems to me that there is actually more to protect here. Whereas California has buildings or houses on just about every square foot of land, Florida has a lot of undeveloped land. I would even bet the air is better to breathe here and there is less toxicity.

Yet the future still depends on us and what we do with the resources we have while we still have them. I think one must first have to appreciate and love plants, animals, life & nature before one begins to actively do things towards their preservation. But how do you get people to care who don't? I think a lot of it has to do with the experiences we have where we live and what we are surrounded by. Something as simple as rescuing a baby mockingbird who has fallen from a nest into a busy street might awaken someone to the importance of wildlife preservation. Yet what about that person whose only experience with wildlife comes from the zoo with animals in cages & behind glass. Might they not care as much? Experiencing these things hands on and being a part of them is perhaps where it begins.

A photo of a baby mockingbird.