“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” — Rachel Carson
I remember when I was around 10 years old my mother and I were in the book section of a department store and as she looked at books I found a copy of Rachel Carson’s “The Sea Around Us.” I sat down and started to read it. She had me on the 1st page. What a wondrous world it opened up for me.
To my surprise, my mother bought it for me. It was the hard copy edition and relatively expensive, but my mom bought it and I couldn’t wait to get home and read it from cover to cover.
It had a profound and lasting effect on me. After reading it I decided I wanted to become a marine biologist.
Rachael Carson was a marine biologist. She worked at the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries which later turned into the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But her writings are what she is famous for.
She published three books on the sea. “Under the Sea-Wind,” “The Sea Around Us,” which became a bestseller and won a national book award, and “The Edge of the Sea.” These books help to increase our understanding and better our appreciation of our oceans. They helped cement my love of the ocean and the world around us. So much so, as I said, I decided to become a biologist to learn as much as I could about our incredible planet and all the life upon it.
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature-the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” — Rachael Carson
In 1962 Rachael Carson published “Silent Spring.” This book created a worldwide awareness of the serious issues we were and still are creating with the generation of pesticides and other related chemicals on our planet and the seriously negative effects pollution has on the planet and all living things.
As an organic gardener, since I was seven years old, and a biologist/ecologist I find her writings inspire me, to this day, to appreciate the magnificent gift we all share every day to live on our beautiful planet Earth and be a part of Mother Nature.
So thanks to my mother and Rachel Carson for turning a simple shopping trip into a life-changing event for me. Thanks for opening that door.
I have been very fortunate throughout my journey to have people open doors for me. To make it possible for me to expand my horizons and think of things and look at things from a different perspective because they took the time to open a door for me. I will write about those experiences from time to time.
“If a child is to keep alive his (her) inborn sense of wonder, he (she) needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him (her) the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” — Rachel Carson.
