Conversations - Nature Lover

I was waiting for this day, or night I should say, for a long time – A trek into the forests and an overnight stay under a full moon. It was a particularly nice night – the moon was pouring her milky light, the crickets were chirping, the flowers of the night had started blooming, we were stretched out on a carpet of grass and sipping black tea. In a way, all our five senses were enjoying the bliss which only nature can provide.

“I am a born nature lover,” I shared my self-realization to Thenmurugakani, a frequent companion on my treks into the Western Ghats.

“Hmm, lover or liker?” after a long silence, he asked.

“What’s the difference?” I asked. Boy, I liked this – throwing a question back to a question posed to me.

“To love is to sacrifice. To love is to greatly like something or someone and also be willing to give back or sacrifice.

Taking photographs, posting on social media, going on treks, etc., are nice, but they mean you like nature, not love.“

Now, I had a long silence.

I asked the very basic of questions – “How to love?”

“To love is to start from yourself. For example, can you walk / cycle instead of driving whenever possible? Can you use public transport as much as possible? Can you use fan instead of AC whenever possible? Can you not buy that jewellery or mobile or gadget unless it is very essential? Etc., Etc.

It is not that you are doing these intentionally, you might be doing these unconsciously. Your comfort comes at a cost.”

I, again, had a long silence.

I realized I had to find my own answers and my own way to love the nature which I like so much.

The crickets were still chirping, the flowers of the night were still blooming, and I want those to continue for me, for my son, and for his children.

To love nature is to love oneself.