Nature ’ s Landscape By : Evan Oswald
O ne aspect of our artistic representation of happiness is the environment surrounding the positive road / depiction of the emotion . We chose the road branching to the left to represent happiness . Surrounding our path of enlightenment was none other than Mother Nature herself . Many have written about and shown support for nature ’ s overarching themes of freedom , beauty , and peace . They feel that nature is the environment in which these virtues are abundant , easily accessible , and most of all , fulfilling . Nature seems to bring about happiness because it is pure and genuine , not perfect . What society tries to do is manifest its own happiness . In our pursuit of the greatest and best things , we often fail to find happiness as a result of our own doings . For instance , we wish to find success in our careers , but often do not realize the sacrifices that we may have to make like taking on more stress and losing free time . Nature , on the other hand , does not need to be created or manufactured by man . It is a gift to us , one that we do not need to manipulate in order to bring us happiness . Cruelty and harshness may come as by-products of nature , such as the intense population struggle between wolves and moose . However , we often look to nature and find a respect for its raw beauty and simplicity . Nature facilitates within us an appreciation for the little things in life .
I personally believe that happiness is deeply rooted within nature . Whether I be trudging through the woods for an early morning hunt in November , sprinting across a freshly cut field in pursuit of an opposing
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team , or embracing the sting of snowfall as I carve through fresh powder on a hillside , nature is where I find my peace . No words can describe the beautiful colors painted across the sky as the sun falls on a day spent on the lake . Sometimes I find myself in nature with nothing to do other than behold its beauty and wonder . I always have loved the outdoors , and the opportunity to portray its serenity brings me happiness alone . Perhaps I love the challenges that the wilderness brings , or maybe I am just an outdoorsman . Regardless , surrounding myself with nature relaxes and brings joy to me .
For the environment surrounding the path on the left , I would start with a blanket of trees on both sides . The species of tree would be California redwoods . They are tall , strong , beautiful trees that would radiate in the sunlight . I find redwoods as the appropriate foliage choice to represent happiness because they are true marvels of nature as the tallest trees on the planet . There would also be much space between the trees in order for humans to have numerous clearings along the path in which they could interact . On the left side of the forest I would place a mountain sloping downward towards the road . At the top of the mountain , snow would be collected , with the water from the thaw weaving intricate streams down the mountainside . This represents the idea that nature brings about its challenging and harsh environments . Although the landscape may not always be forgiving , it is raw and naturally beautiful . To add to the environment , I would add rays of sunlight peeking over the mountaintop and into the forest . This brings about the idea that the sun is rising on a new day , with the inhabitants of the forest free to enjoy all of the gifts it will bring .