The Difference 24 Hours Makes: Nature Journaling Week #19

 

Everything can change in 24 hours.

In recent days and months, we’ve been repeatedly reminded of that. Sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s not, but change is constant. Today, I wanted to define the differences in weather we’ve experienced locally. 

I’ve done a Venn diagram once before. They are helpful tools to outline the unique characteristics of two things and those that they share in common. Weather can be fairly easy to define. But sitting with the concept, one is nudged to recall that everything is dealing with that weather. How does each living thing do it? How does each type of life react to changing conditions?

I didn’t pose any questions, but I should have. Do animals feel up when they have more serotonin in their systems? How much does sunlight affect them- do they have moods? What do they experience as they wait through a storm?

I confess that I didn’t climb a local hill the other night to observe the Wolf Moon because I was afraid I would disturb some animals that may have hunkered down somewhere to make it through the single-digit dark hours. I stuck to the sidewalks. We can each share the world and give each other some space without losing anything vital.

Sun, sky, snow, & green

I took time to describe what I felt each day. I question what all those creatures feel today versus yesterday. The storm nears the longer I sit here, but I’m safe and warm while those animals and woody plants adjust as they can to the wild fluctuations.

24 hours can change a lot. Perhaps I can use this as a gentle reminder that we humans should be willing and able to adapt as time goes by. We sometimes get used to getting our own way. Perhaps it would be good for us to practice being more in sync with our surroundings and being more accepting of what is and what lives around us.