Book 2 Post 1 - Losing Eden

 Book 2 Post 1 - Losing Eden

The book I chose for Book 2 was Losing Eden: Our Fundamental Need for the Natural World and Its Ability to Heal Body and Soul by Lucy Jones. After reading through the recommended book descriptions, it was difficult to narrow it down to one particular book, since they all looked interesting and would grant me a perspective that I hadn’t had previously. But upon further inspection, Losing Eden definitely spoke to me the most at a first glance. As an Eagle Scout and someone who has been in scouting since 6th grade, I’ve done my fair share of hiking growing up. I don’t do it much anymore, since most of the community I’ve found at college doesn’t really hike that much, and I’m the kind of person that’ll do something more for who’s at the event than what we’re actually doing. When I was in middle school, I’d actually say I wasn’t a big fan of hiking, since it was tiring and hot and sweaty; I’d have much rather been at home playing video games or sleeping. As I grew up, though, I was able to hike for longer stretches and really appreciate the value of nature a lot more. My highlight was a 55-mile backpacking trip in New Mexico, where we carried all of our food, tents, water, etc. with us at all times, coming out to 40 or more pounds of luggage per person for the entirety of the hike. Sounds rough, but once we got to the top of the mountain, the “Tooth of Time,” there was no greater feeling than looking down at everything from the highest point I’d ever been above sea level, appreciating the creation of nature. The Pop-Tarts we brought up to eat at the summit didn't hurt. But between that and casual 15-mile Saturday morning hikes I remember going on regularly throughout high school, I never really understood what kept me going back. All I knew was that there was something healing about nature, never really understanding what or why.

I picked the book to further understand that feeling of peace and serenity. A lot of the parents and adults that accompanied us on our boy scout hiking trips were high-functioning engineers and business professionals in the Silicon Valley, where I grew up. With such successful careers, they would often tell us, “when you are our age and you’re sitting in a cubicle, you’re going to appreciate this time you spent in the great outdoors.” Not having spent too much time in a cubicle myself, I can’t particularly relate. But again, there’s something about nature, something about getting outside and taking everything in, that keeps people going back. And so when a book describing “Our Fundamental Need for the Natural World and Its Ability to Heal Body and Soul” is on the table, it’s hard for me to say no to reading it and understanding that aspect of the human experience. 

In the first parts of what I’ve read, I thought the beginning portrayal of a world without nature was a bit cheesy. But the more I think about it, maybe there is a good reason for such a dramatic portrayal, given the importance of nature in general. I like the use of the book to convey the importance of green and sustainable initiatives. I don’t think the author and I have approached nature from the same perspective, given that she grew up without much nature in her life while I had an apt amount of it, and so because of that I’m even more interested in the way that she found its importance. Overall, I’m excited to keep reading this book!