Unforgettable Encounter with the Natural Environment of Nan Liao Harbor - Essay Example

Nature and the Natural World: This essay concentrates on my unforgettable encounter with the natural environment of Nan Liao Harbor. This harbor is located in Hsinchu which is a city in Taiwan. Nature can have a profound effect on a person’s mind and behavior because it is a remarkably strong and driving force. Sometimes life becomes so monotonous that it becomes quite an arduous task just to go through the daily routine. That is exactly when interaction with nature becomes critically important to add strength to mind and character. It was only after coming to Nan Liao Harbor that I really understood the value added by natural surroundings to virtuous performance in life. When the picture of life starts to darken, change of place is necessary. But, a noisy and crowded place cannot affect a person’s senses like a calm and scenic place can. The latter holds a great potential to help a person see clearly. This essay aims to support the claim that Nan Liao Harbor in Taiwan helped me become a better person by making me at peace with myself. Nan Liao Harbor holds a very special place in my heart and my life. There is a very beautiful beach from where people go to the harbor to find fresh seafood. The variety is huge and there is so much to choose from. The remarkable thing about fresh seafood here is that it is quite cheap and I along with many other tourists had no problem in affording it. This added to the taste of my stay at the harbor. The wind blows all the time here. Before this harbor was transformed into a world class tourist spot, it was an unorganized area. But, there are many enchanting scenic spots now making it one of the best tourist destinations for people who love nature and use it heal themselves. Upon reaching Nan Liao Harbor, I developed a way to think about things in a more imaginative manner. This enhanced imagination also helped me develop a keen familiarity with oneself. Before coming to this harbor in Taiwan, I was not very good at self-acceptance. But, those calm and relaxing walks by the water motivated me to embrace myself and become more and more peaceful. In his short story “Antlers”, Bass speaking of the scenic valley says that “everyone who’s up here is here because of the silence. It is eternity up here” (Bass 269). Here, it is suggested that people aggregate in the valley because it offers them peace and blissful eternity regardless of every barrier. This peace turns around the way of perceiving things and makes one less cynical than before. Bass considers a place like the Yaak very peaceful because of the calming effect it has on him. He loses himself into the deepest cores of this valley. This inflicts a profound influence on him. In the same way, I started to explore deep cores of the Nan Liao Harbor after reaching that place. Its great natural surroundings elevated my power of imagination and reflection. The depth of its beauty helped to enhance the boundaries of my imagination. Going to the harbor on my own proved to be very advantageous because I discovered that nature and solitude make a very good recipe together. Sure, touring natural places accompanied by friends or family is a great idea. But, going alone is a better option if one seeks to use nature to get in touch with oneself. During my stay, I tried to fully dedicate my time to self-examination and self-acceptance. I took many long walks by the water and slowly, I started to enjoy reflecting on myself because this practice brought me closer to self-acceptance. At Nan Liao Harbor, I was closer to nature than ever before. Nature helps one in meditating and reflecting. One starts transforming into a person as nature has willed. “The Present” is a beautiful short story written by Dillard which also shows how overwhelmingly nature can influence a person. The narrator takes a break from the city life in the story. Beautiful mountains, the bare forest, and the setting sun make her feel more alive than the entire world. This is why the power of surrounding nature makes her says that “I have never seen anything so tremulous and live” (Dillard 279). In the same way, I recommend the harbor in Taiwan as a great natural place because it is so tremulous and live. It can prove to be a remarkable assistance for anyone interested in discovering oneself and getting refreshed, for anyone tired of the pandemonium of city life and willing to reflect on oneself. Claiming that a person becomes imaginative when utterly alone and surrounded by nature is a reality which I experienced in its true form at Nan Liao Harbor. It would not be exaggerated to suggest that nature can act as a mirror because Nan Liao Harbor acted as a mirror for me. It made me turn within which is a great way to assist self-reflection. In the same way, Momaday beautifully describes a long and memorable journey taken by him in his book which left him with much to think and talk about in the end. His description stresses on the important of connection between man and nature. He claims that the incomparable landscape made his imagination come to life (Momaday 5). Surrounded by sumptuous food and tall trees, I found myself secretly wishing to discover what could be the best way to rejuvenate my soul and mind. So, the only option which sprang up in my mind was the act of turning within. I began to immerse deeper in nature to boost the process of turning within. This act helped me immensely in accepting myself. This is the kind of glorious thing which I suggest for others also because without immersion in nature and practicing self-acceptance from time to time, it is difficult to become a better person. I found the beauty of Nan Liao Harbor captivating, challenging, and transforming. No medicines can compete with the healing power of nature. So, it is very important that a balance be created between nature and humans. It is the isolation and the comfort of nature which helps one let go of depression and overcome numerous doubts and fears. “A Blizzard under Blue Sky” is a short story written by Pam Houston in which the narrator is very depressed. Her doctor prescribes her Prozac to bring her out of depression, but nothing helps until she decides to seek solace in nature. This establishes the great healing power of nature. It is narrated in the story that “winter camping proves to be better than Prozac” (Houston 33). Medicines did not help the woman in the story. Rather, it was the cold and quite natural atmosphere of Utah which helped her mediate and restructure her way of thinking. She begins to process her life in a rational manner which proves that nature provides the means to comfort. Houston’s story mentions that “there had never been anything wrong in my life that a few good days in the wilderness wouldn’t cure” (Houston 35). In the same way, spending just a few days at Nan Liao Harbor in peace and solitude brought remarkable changes in my personality. Concluding, is it safe to say that Nan Liao Harbor helped me identify myriad sources of happiness scattered around me in the form of shimmering sand under my feet, sparkling blue water touching my skin, tourists happily enjoying their vacation, and freshly prepared seafood. Everything was tried to be maintained in its natural form which made me muse about nature and praise its beauty. At the harbor, I swam in the ocean and the water seemed to hold me every time with a promise of solace and relief. It made me realize that it is only in the warm comfort of nature that change can occur. This is how Nan Liao Harbor helped me become a better person because the natural scenery there is breathtaking. Works cited: Bass, Rick. “Antlers.” The Book of Yaak. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1997. 59-65. Print. Dillard, Annie. “The Present.” Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd, 2011. 78-104. Print. Houston, Pam. “A Blizzard under Blue Sky.” Ed. Marybeth bond. Travelers’ Tales: A Woman’s World. San Francisco: Travelers’ Tales, 1995. 37-43. Print. Momaday, Scott N. The Way to Rainy Mountain. UNM Press, 1976. Print. Read More