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.