Waterfalls and Trees make the world Shine!

If you happen to find yourself in the Whitehurst living room, look at the pictures of each incoming class of first years and follow two trees powerful story in the background. In only twenty years, they grow from tiny sprouts, shoot into the air and spread their greens across the path into full-fledged trees. As I sit amongst my private three trees in the woods, I can’t help but ponder how the scene in front of me has changed and will continue to change. Not only has time affected the image but also the conditions in Richmond are never “normal”. From snow to sun, hurricanes to earthquakes, Richmond has provided a full array of Mother Nature’s colors over this past year and specifically this week. I am only one who will ever see this world the way it is, from this exact spot at this moment in time which I find both frightening and also an extreme honor. This privilege compels me to take in every detail from the nest high above me with a piece of paper sticking out to the intricate shades of greens, browns, blues and reds. Through the absorption of the multitude of details present all around us I have created a large value in my life towards conservation and protection of the environment. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize this honor placed upon my shoulders until 10th grade after attending my true home, Mt. Adams Leadership Camp.
As the sun sleeps, we lightly make our way up the forest trail. The gurgle of the stream and distant crashing of the falls, calls to us through the darkness of night. On and on we run, watching our feet dart gingerly over logs, around trees and through the brush. Our breath fogs the crisp, morning air. The roar of the falls grows louder till it overcomes the sound of our panting breaths. We must hurry; he awakens soon. Finally, we stop… we are here. As we sprawl against the rocks, he awakens and we gradually gain sight across the valley as he rises from his bed in the east. The reds, oranges, purples, and pinks brilliantly splash across the sky. Through the water his paints dance and play resembling the effects of an aurora borealis. Atop a mountain, in a forest, up a cliff, in a cave behind a waterfall, we watch a simple sunrise turned into a masterpiece.
Our journey back down the mountain is much more relaxed, joyous and filled with chatter about our experience. Back at Camp Mt. Adams we filed into a room, gathered around in a circle and listened to four simple words that have influenced who I am today and who I strive to be in life. John Norlin, my camp counselor and leader extraordinaire, simply turned to us and said, “What did you notice?” Immediately my fellow campers launched into stories about the beauty of the sunrise and all the colors, but John raised his hand for silence and I knew he was looking for something more, something deeper. “Did you notice the cooks arriving at 5:00 a.m. to make you food for the day? Did you notice the grounds keeper moving logs off the path so we could climb the mountain today? Who knows the name of the trail we took this morning?” As silence filled the room, we realized no one could answer his questions and at that moment I was hit with an epiphany. Awareness is what John was talking about and awareness is what has changed my life.
“See and See again” has been my motto ever since that moment and it’s as if I have been given the gift of sight for the very first time: noticing the minute details, like new haircuts, or realizing when a friend or a stranger is just not feeling very well. When I focus on being aware, life becomes brighter with every moment. I have set a goal in life to help other people and being aware has shown me opportunities where even the smallest of gestures can make a huge difference in someone else’s life. By changing this person’s life I have then created the butterfly effect, “If one life touches another then potentially both lives are changed. If one life touches another then potentially the whole world is changed.” Hopefully my passion for helping others is the one-drop that will start the waterfall of change that improves the world.
What does it take to make others aware of the world around them? For people like Mathew, from the William Byrd Farm, it comes naturally to work hand in hand in nature and avoid disrupting a natural cycle as much as possible. Constantly aware of his impact upon the land, instead of cutting up a tree root to lay foundation for the greenhouse Mathew simply redesigns the greenhouse to accommodate for the root. For others the task of throwing away trash is too much to ask. One of the largest motivators for a change of persona is tragedy. Unfortunately those that will suffer the most and be affected first are not in the suburbia’s of the developed world. They live in the drying fields of Africa, the sinking Islands of the Pacific and the disappearing forests of South America. For our class, education was the answer and this class provided us the opportunity to realize the history, importance, and possibilities for the Gambles Mill Trail Corridor and the James River. The local and visual aspect builds a connection with the audience that in turn influences the relationship from destructive to reconstructive.
Once we have this knowledge and awareness of the world around us the question then becomes do we act upon it? Our work on the Gamble Mill Trail Corridor could lead to better trail systems throughout the United States and a cleaner environment throughout the world. Our work at the William Byrd farm will provide food and continue the process of education to families throughout Richmond. It seems to me as if the natural process is awareness leads to education, education will lead to action and action will lead to the betterment of the future.