Nature is Pure

Wind stirs;

Waterfall sends cold sounds

Moonrise over the foothills

Shines its light on my bamboo window.

Dearer with age,

These mountains ways.

If I die at the foot of this cliff,

Even my bones will be pure.

Jakushitsu (1290–1367)

The struggle of civilization vs nature has been a common theme in literature from The Epic of Gilgamesh to Lord of The Flies.

After a lifetime of reading, I still don't know if humanity is essentially good or evil. 

But I do think that nature is pure. 

Since we are part of nature, we could also be pure, if we tried.

But have we, as a species, ever really tried?

Whenever the stench of civilization gets to be too much, I go to nature.

Lately, I have been going a lot.

Like the American nature writer John Burroughs, "I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order."

My forays into the wild always make me feel better. 

It works. 

Safe and effective.

True story.

Maybe some day, with enough exposure to nature, even my bones will be pure.