I grew up in Niagara Falls, right near the river, and I spent most days as a kid along the shores and in the river valley. I remember watching the water for hours, fascinated by the colour of the river that was beyond blue, almost teal. It was a constantly changing, turbulent river where I could find adventure after adventure. Finding vine ropes to swing across the valley was both frightening and thrilling. I also remember spending time there, alone with my thoughts. When I got married, my wife and I hiked the Bruce Trail, completing the end-to-end weekend after weekend, and we loved every minute.
Doing things together in nature helps enhance love. Nature is conducive to love. There is so much to see and say and talk about and reflect on. If I had to choose a favourite spot in nature I would choose Mount Nemo on the Niagara Escarpment. When you get to see the view from the cliffs, and you watch the birds and hawks soaring underneath you, with patchworks of pastoral fields and meadows below…that’s endless inspiration.
Nature is as important as mathematics. Nature education is so important. At the heart of it, I give to Nature Canada because giving makes me feel hopeful and makes me feel like I’m doing something that I value. I give monthly because I hope that my contribution every month helps save forests and oceans, and not just for what they do to help people survive. But because of the animals that we can and must help. I find all animals enchanting: their innocence is totally beguiling.
I’ve also made a gift in my Will to Nature Canada because I want this good work to continue in the future. Making this kind of contribution is a wonderful feeling, like a reverberation. And I hope when other people read this they will know they can help too! You may think you can’t make an impact, but you can. You don’t have to be rich to care. Everyone can do something. Everyone must do something.
