December 2024 • Nebraskaland 65
If you are still unsure, let's ask another question. How do
you place your Self versus Nature?
The infographic on page 64 may help make this question
clearer. When you hold yourself up next to nature, where do
you sit in relation?
For me, nature has given me joy and beauty that I
choose to refl ect to others through art. It's also given me
opportunities to challenge myself, grow and pay attention.
It's been the place where some of my most important
relationships have taken root.
Everything that sustains me comes from nature. I have a
microbiome of bacteria and other living organisms inside my
own body. Nature is a part of me, not apart from me. There's
a relationship there that is so much more than simply the
word "nature." Nature is our connection to self. For me,
nature is everything.
Wherever you've landed along this journey, I hope you
know that there are no wrong answers. Although I hope that
you have a relationship with the sky and the river and the
living parts of our world that leads you to advocate for it, not
everyone is in that space yet, and that's OK. I hope you take
all the time you need to refl ect on what nature is or isn't for
you.
In the end, I do hope you'll fi nd that a connection with
nature is a connection with your soul.
What is nature? Fill in the blank.
Nature is ___________.
N
Many hunters and anglers admire being part of nature more than shooting a gun or catching a fi sh.
The benefi ts they receive often mirror those of non-consumptive users. JULIE GEISER, NEBRASKALAND
The author uses her "Grace's Guide to the Outside" series
to shine a light on species Nebraskans may encounter
outdoors. ILLUSTRATION BY GRACE GAARD
