Paige Dwyer-Experience (1)

A few weeks ago, Professor Redick held class in an unconventional classroom. We all met up at our usual time but instead of it being in McMurran it was out on the Nolan Trail. We had a few minutes of lecturing and then we set out on the trail. Halfway through the class we were instructed to either walk in groups or alone and record our observations and the emotions we experienced while out on the trail. The purpose of this exercise was to increase our understanding of and the skill of the practice of writing reflectively and interactively in relation to experiencing the connection between spirituality and the natural world. We were to increase our understanding of place as chora and time as kairos. My time on the trail wasn't long enough to fully embrace the wilderness or have time to truly reflect on anything. I did notice how pretty it was with the leaves changing colors and how much life was around me. Although I couldn't see any animals other than squirrels, I knew those woods were a home to many creatures. Seeing how beautiful it was did make me think about pollution and how careless and inconsiderate some people are. I could never imagine throwing something out my car window that I knew was simply trash. I know the only way for nature to remain prosperous is for us to do our part to keep it clean.