Image from Mr. Bortz
From the colors of a sunset to the sounds of leaves rustling in the wind, nature can serve as a peaceful escape full of beauty and wonder. It offers us a moment to stray from the buzzing of our screens and appreciate the simple things around us. Michael Bortz is a science teacher at Washington High School. He teaches AP Environmental Science and Living Earth. Mr. Bortz first got into hiking while attending UC Santa Cruz, where the campus is surrounded by scenic coastal trails. A moment that stuck with him was going to the “Sunset Tree” on the UCSC campus with his friends. “The tree was struck by lightning which made it a space to sit,” he said. “Seeing the Bay Area during sunset with the water reflecting the sun and the beautiful flowers really made me feel like it was meant for us to be there and appreciate the simple things in life.”
Nature can also act as a form of therapy or a way to clear your mind. Preet Bhagat, a junior at Washington High School, got into spending time in nature through his experiences on farms caring for animals, something he was drawn to as part of his lifestyle as a vegetarian. He and Mr. Bortz both believe that being out in nature enables you to live in the present. It offers a space to clear your mind and forget about everything else that is going on. Being out in nature is much different than being on social media. When we are on social media, we always compare ourselves to people online, such as how someone may look better than us or have more material success than us. However, it’s very different when you’re out in nature. “When we are outside, we realize that things are so beyond ourselves and that none of this comparison actually matters,” says Mr. Bortz.
People our age are definitely missing out by not taking some time to be outside in nature, rather than being stuck on their screens. Preet says, “People don’t even know how beautiful the earth is and all it has to offer. Time is too precious and you cannot waste it on your phone.”
Humans definitely connect to something deeper when they are out in nature. It offers us a perspective on how complex the simple things around us are. Mr. Bortz didn’t start out wanting to become a scientist, but being around nature guided him to this path. Mr. Bortz doesn’t hold the traditional viewpoint that God is an all-powerful being watching from above. Instead, he sees God as being analogous with nature. He sees the complexity, beauty, and interconnectedness of the natural world as divine in a sense. It’s one of the reasons that sparked his love for biology. Studying living ecosystems and the balance of life feels to him like a way of understanding and connecting with something greater.
Aside from allowing us to reconnect with and see things beyond ourselves, nature teaches us how precious life is. Mr. Bortz says “Seeing plants and animals die made me realize how fragile life is, yet so precious.” Life is too precious and you have to make the best of the time you have. You cannot spend it being on your phone and revolving your life around material success. Go outside and appreciate all the world has to offer.
Muhammad Afzal is a current junior at Washington High School. He was born in Pakistan and moved to Fremont at the age of 7, and has lived here ever since. This is his first year at the Hatchet where he hopes to learn how to effectively conduct interviews and explore different writing styles. He is also a part of WHS DECA and Debate. Outside of school oriented things, the things he enjoys doing the most are spending time with family and friends, going out, spending time with animals (mostly cats), exploring nature, and sleeping. He hopes to attend a Top 5 UC school but is not fully sure about what he wants to major in.