By Geetanjali Sharma
Hello readers! This week my column reaches you a day late. My mind was overflowing with thoughts, emotions, and my heart was full of prayers. This led me to write a piece which was a fusion of all that I was wanting to share – a cocktail which would have left you feeling like a tipsy mess on a Friday morning. So, I took the liberty of writing this a day late. It may resonate with some and not appeal to a few, and that is fine.
In my cancelled article I began with a thought about the freedom nature has – to grow, discover, learn, unlearn and evolve. And the smartest thing we, the humans of today, can do is closely follow nature for answers. In Dehra, I find many minds and designs incorporating natural elements, trying to stay as close to nature as possible. Nature doesn’t just give us answers to live the right way, but it also gives us everything we need to live, create and thrive on.
Then, my mind skipped to how sometimes from a distance realities look more glorious than they really are. I realised this within days of moving to Dehra. Not many people hold the status they claim while others who actually matter, in power and respect, wear their talents like a wrinkle free shirt, confident and comfortable in their own skin. Nature too finds its home in the open, unsupervised and wild, or, even in controlled environments, it never moves away from its roots – to stay alive and relevant.
In the ending lines of the scrapped piece, I began thinking about how close nature is to everyone here. Be it an environmentalist or a pet owner, the people of Dehra must understand the importance of saving everything ‘natural’.
From the day Dehra welcomed me into this space of artistic expression and natural beauty, everything brightened. I found people with genuine love and compassion, grace and kindness, artistic freedom and fondness for nature.
So, if you are stuck and can’t find a way, look outside your window, and observe. Observe the world that appeared way before us, in its truest form, and try exploring it. From scientific observations to emotional intelligence, practical behaviours to basic knowledge, it will all be there for you to pick and choose from.
(Geetanjali Sharma is an author and communications specialist. She holds a post-graduate degree in international communication from Macquarie University, Australia.)
