THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS

THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS

Wendell Berry

 

When despair for the world grows in me

And I wake in the night at the least sound

In fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

Rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

Who do not tax their lives with forethought

Of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

Waiting with their light.  For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

 

I’ve returned to this poem many times since first coming upon it a year ago.  It reminds me of places I’ve been where I’ve had peace.  The problem is I usually do not think of places that are in the city.  Here, these places are harder to find; oases hidden in the corners.  After four years of actively seeking these places out, I can promise you that they are there. 

Over the next year my hope is to share my own stories as I continue to seek out the natural presence in the city of Chicago.  As members of the North Park community, we have to remember that we cannot isolate ourselves from the greater community of Creation.  There are so many opportunities to appreciate and engage nature that we have no reason not to take advantage of them.  My goal is to eliminate the excuse that you ‘just didn’t know’.  The Office of Sustainability website, filled with resources and tips on how to be better stewards and participants in creation, is for you – so feel free to tell us what you want to know. 

In closing, I’d like to leave you with three spots to visit sometime over the next month – three of my personal favorites when I’m in need of ‘the peace of wild things’.

 

1. North Park Village Nature Center

This is where I go when I need to forget that I’m in the city.  An oasis that you never would have expected, the Nature Center is home to forest,prairie, savanna and wetlands.  Great for birding, or just a relaxing walk, and don’t be surprised if you run into a few deer.  Oh, did I mention it is FREE?!  Drive west on Foster to Pulaski (the Jewel Osco intersection) and make a right. Just past Berwyn you should see an entrance to the center on your right.  Drive straight back and hang a left following signs to the nature center.  It is around 1.5-2 miles away, so certainly close enough to walk there as well.

 

 

 

2. The Mulberry Tree

The oldest Red Mulberry tree in Chicago resides right on our campus –across from Sohlberg, in front of seminary apartments.  Supposedly, the tree is over 160 years old and was here before Old Main was built.  Go ahead and lay on the ground beneath it, looking up at the sky through its branches… It will be good for your soul.

 

 

 

 

3. The Dam

I love walking east on Carmen till you hit River Park and then continuing on to the dam.  There are always a few fishermen here and depending on what’s going on in the park it can be quite peaceful.  A great place people watch as well.  Just don't get too close to the water or you will see first-hand how our Chicago rivers are taken care of...

– Holly Kress

 

Comments

[Dennis Prikkel]

Thanks for your posting. Three locations that I enjoyed in my 15 years of living in the North Park neighborhood:
1- walk along the Lakefront: Foster Avenue to downtown.
2- The Rookery at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
3- The public parks in Evanston along Lake Michigan.

[Ingrid]

Great post Holly! Keep up the good work.

[Prof. Jim Bruckner]

Thank you for the reminder of the beauty around us. I can confirm that the mulberry on our campus is around 160 years old. The Park District of Chicago has a department called "Tree Keepers". One of their 'keepers' came out an measured our tree about ten years ago at my request. He estimated the age based on a large database that they keep. He also said this this is one of the largest mulberries in the state of Illinois, and may be the largest in Chicago. We have a treasure in our midst.
Jim Bruckner
Professor of Old Testament, NPU