Reflection

Reflection

My hometown is Seoul city. In other words, I was surrounded more by buildings than by trees. Although I studied environmental issues, listened to forest sound YouTube videos, lit aroma candles, and bought flower bouquets from the flower shop, I was experiencing an empty, surface-level connection to nature without truly feeling its importance. However, in my freshmen year, when I entered boarding school, I began living surrounded by nature. The dormitories are surrounded by trees, so I constantly hear the sounds of birds, insects, squirrels, and other creatures. My school has a small lake where I can walk around and see two swans, ducks, turtles, fish, and even snakes. One of my favorite memories lying down on the green grass lawn with my friends, watching the stars. Whenever I felt overwhelmed, the wind brushing my cheek reminded me that I was alive, here, and everything will be fine. It was during these moments that I was inspired to write this poem, not just a few hours but countless times. In high school, I reconnected with nature which I had once forgotten as a child. Though this poem is for everyone, it is also a message to me. I once thought nature was lost, but actually, it was I who didn’t pay attention to it and passed away. This poem is based on the many thoughts I have had while surrounded by nature. By writing this poem, I realized that nature has never left us, we have forgotten about it, we could go as far as saying that we are the ones who left nature behind. I aimed to express through this poem that nature still lives and breathes in us, there is still time to change how we view and reside with nature. Through the 2025 Ocean Awareness Contest theme of "Connections to Nature: Looking Inside and Going Outside," I learned that it is important for us to recognize that we are a part of nature. This is because nature and humankind are connected by an invisible breath.