Finding Earth’s Treasures

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.”

― Vincent Van Gogh

As Earth Warrior Campers learned about Mother Earth and all her gifts, they also took time to appreciate her small treasures.  While understanding that we couldn’t live without her gifts of food, water, and air, we also noted that we appreciate the beauty she provides.  These simple precious treasures are gifts as well.

 On our walks we often looked up or looked out to see beauty.  On several of our walks we looked down to find small treasures. Campers walked with bags and were tasked to find and collect items that they found special, interesting, or beautiful.  We carefully collected and examined these items.  The goal was not to find the most or have the fullest bag, but to find items that “spoke” to us.  Later, each shared an item with the group and talked about why it was special to them. The items were often used for nature art.  

 I truly believe that we cannot be motivated to protect what we do not know and love.  I hoped to not only teach lessons and increase children’s knowledge base through Earth Warriors camp, but to foster an inherent love for all earth is.  By noticing and appreciating the beauty of earth, we come to love and value her.  By touching, smelling, and looking at her many treasures we connect and know her more deeply.  Spending time in nature creates an immense feeling of awe for this beautiful wide planet.  Taking time to find small treasures brings nature to children’s level and instills a sense of wonder in the smallest of earth’s gifts…the tiniest of earth’s humans loving the tiniest of earth’s treasures.