been in europe for awhile. now back in america on july 4th, one of my favorite holidays. i love america and it is home. but this 4th, we must celebrate while keeping in mind that not all is grand in a place we call home. _____________________ in the time i’ve been gone, thousands of children have been detained, families have been ripped apart and reproductive rights now face devastating future threats. this mythology of american independence — that it is self-evident that all men are created equal — is a fable we continue to repeat, but it is incomplete.” - fredrick douglass _____________________ a lot is wrong in america today, but there is a lot of promise as well. young people are fighting injustice and lebron is on the lakers. enjoy the 4th & know that we have work to do. 🇺🇸
if i could be anything, i would be one of those i spy books. i like finding round pegs in square holes. _____________________ despite being a dry desert there are more than 400 different plant species in bryce canyon national park in arizona. this patch of trees was found when walking through a deep crevasse in the red canyon rock. despite being surrounded by dense rock formations on every side, these trees had been growing for years. and that’s pretty neat if you ask me!
earth is a top 8 planet of all time. _____________________ i always like earth day because it’s perfectly acceptable to not get earth a card so as to avoid wasting paper. been working on promoting sustainability in my life. whether it be composting, making my own meals and using a reusable lunchbox, or limiting plastic, it really is easy to reduce our footprint. at the very least, “we must do something for wildness and make the mountains glad” - john muir
when i was a littler kid i got to see a sky full of stars every night right from my bed room. being able to see and feel so close stars is one of the coolest feelings. _____________________ i try to seize every opportunity to view the stars. i do not know how to identify specific sets or constellations yet, but one of my friends showed me an app so i’m learning (it’s called night sky). when we think about pollution we often consider land waste, toxic water, or carbon emissions, but sometimes we forget about what light does. light pollution in north america prevents 80% of us from seeing the milky way. that’s our home galaxy! everyone should be able to see a dark sky because meeting with the stars is so grand. so do whatever you can to look up, get lost, and find the stars.
i have always said that if i was going to be any natural element relating to water i would be a waterfall and i mean it. _____________________ for the last couple days, i turned off all notifications on my phone. i only acknowledged multiple missed calls or many repeated messages. this feeling of such stillness was a quite nice. while this practice is really unsustainable for almost all of us, i do think it’s important to reflect in this stillness from time to time. just like a waterfall takes time to freeze in the winter only to come roaring back in the spring.
happy international women’s day. we are nothing without women. fairness and equality matter always. _____________________ an educated woman is unstoppable. unfortunately, 65 million girls globally do not have access to an education. it is clear that girls face far greater barriers to education, among many other fields, than boys, but we can change that. learn more about the campaign for female education - link in bio. always celebrate female artists, encourage your female friends, watch mulan, tell your momma you love and appreciate her. support all the girls doing their thang all over the world.
the time when all the light comes through so perfect is known as a sheets fresh out the dryer moment. _____________________ fresh out the dryer moments are the best. in this moment, i hopped of a trail and hiked down to find this perfect open cliff. here the light from the setting sun cut perfectly through the trees to highlight the Sierra Mountains. as neat as the moment is, the journey getting to these moments is equally as important. you gotta put the sheets in the dryer first.
it can truly be said that trees are never sad. look at them every once in awhile, they are quite beautiful. _____________________ the giant sequoia is one of the greatest examples of permanence. sequoia trees can live for over 3000 years, which makes them some of the oldest trees in the world. on top of that, sequoias are, by volume, the largest trees on earth. when you are able to walk by and inside massive pillars of thousands of years of history, time feels so relative.
national parks make up some of the best parts of america. sequoia national park in california is just 1 of 59. _____________________ this week i am sharing photos from one of the most peaceful places i know. america’s parks are the best places we have access to. there are no greater spaces to reflect upon and appreciate the beauty of our world. sequoia national park makes us tiny specimen among some of the largest trees on the planet and is home to the sweetest sunsets. sometimes feeling so small helps us think bigger and do better. because in the wildness lies the hope of the world - john muir.