A connection to the natural world may mean different things for each of us, but there is no doubt about its basic importance. The connections between nature and spirituality are well known—the earliest human belief systems worshipped natural events and were centered on the cycles of the seasons. Over time, a more scientific understanding of the natural world prevailed, but what remained might be called a sense of wonder.
The great conservationist Rachel Carson wrote that, “If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” Every day at Marshy Point, we are fortunate enough to share the sense of wonder with students and other children who visit the Nature Center—with school field trips, the Chesapeake Adventurers, and walk-in visitors.
For those of us with a few more years on Earth—and, in my case, recently discovered gray hairs—our connection to the sense of wonder and the magic of nature may seem a bit more distant. The everyday concerns of life seem to take priority over enjoying it—our obligations can leave us exhausted at the end of a day. What time is left to think about the everyday happenings in nature?
However, every day in the natural world is wondrous. Personally, I find great meaning in standing alone on the dock at Marshy Point at sunrise with a camera in hand. Among the staff and volunteers of Marshy Point, similar meaning is found in different ways: spending time outdoors with family, teaching the next generation, taking a hike through the forest, and/or canoeing across the creek at sunset.
Marshy Point is a place to connect to nature and realize that we do not exist in isolation. Rather we are part of the world around us.
With this connection in mind, Marshy Point is offering a number of Spring programs and special events that are sure to awaken your sense of wonder this season.
The 16th Annual Spring Festival is this Saturday, April 20, at Marshy Point. Please join us for a day of free family fun that features crafts and games, egg wagon rides, and up-close encounters with wildlife.
The Summer Solstice Faerie Festival will be held on June 22 and 23 will celebrate the magic of nature and the Summer season with live music, dancing, renowned vendors, and a variety of winged things.
For the youngest of all, Marshy Point is also now accepting registrations for the Chesapeake Adventurers Pre-K for Fall 2019 and Spring 2020.
No matter how old you are or how you connect to nature, Marshy Point has something to offer!