Growing up in the suburbs of Johnston, Rhode Island, I was fortunate enough to live down the street from an apple orchard. My dad has been taking me to this orchard every fall since I was two years old, and as I grew older it became the only place my parents allowed me to go unsupervised. The apple orchard stretched just over a mile long and was filled with a dozens rows of apple trees that were covered in beautiful pink colored apple blossoms, in the springtime. During the summer months, my family seemed to be the only people to use the orchard, which worked as both a great place to play hide and seek and to rest under the shade of the trees. In the fall, I found myself escaping to the orchard to sample the different types of apples. I could find anything from Granny Smith to the plump Red Delicious. Regardless of the time of year, the orchard always found a way to keep me occupied.

One fall day I visited the orchard, when I was nine. It was toward the end of August at approximately five o'clock in the evening, one hour before our usual dinner time. As I put on my Skechers to leave the house, I could smell the juicy hamburgers and grilled vegetables, my family’s favorite meal, which my mom had decided to cook that night. The walk to the orchard was short and I always enjoyed it because for those few quiet minutes I was able to take in the natural beauty of my neighborhood. I recall walking along the side of my street and looking up into the trees to see the bright sun peeking through the trees. I could hear the crackling of the leaves under my feet as I began to skip, picking up my pace to get to the orchard faster.

As I approached the orchard, I eyed my favorite tree to sit under and made my way toward it. Under the tree, I opened the notebook I had brought along with me and decided to write a story. While I was writing I took advantage of the emptiness of the orchard and decided to read my story out loud. Being alone, I had nothing to be embarrassed about, so I pretended the apple trees were acting out the story with me. I talked, danced, sang, and even fought with the trees. At the conclusion of the performance I bowed for my audience. Being a quiet child, I never expressed myself when others were around. It was moments at the orchard, like this one, that strengthened my courage and helped me be less shy around others. These moments, which Rick Bass refers to as “lightning-spark transformative moments in our lives”(2), have had a profound effect on me and how I have matured.

Going to the orchard was a routine for me. Until now I never realized how much of an impact it had on my life. At nine it seemed normal for me to have a very loving relationship with nature. The younger we are the more in touch and open we are to accepting the natural world. I believe that the innocence that comes with being a child protects us from the troubles of the adult world. I agree with Rick Bass when he states about his own childhood, "What is most valuable...was the complete absence of awareness that that habitat would not last forever"(5). I feel I can relate to Bass because as I have grown older, the apple orchard has gotten smaller. Because of the lack of customers buying apples, the owners have planted and cared for fewer trees. It is sad to see something as important as the orchard, which was a big part of my childhood, change and maybe even one day disappear.

Many believe that there is nothing wrong with wasting and ruining natural resources. This worries me because if others do not show respect for the earth, then the earth cannot give its full blessings to us. As a young adult I would like the opportunity to grow up in a world full of rich vegetation and clear blue waters; however, I may not get this opportunity. I believe if humans had a broader concern for the good of the environment and all its creatures, issues such as pollution would not exist. The number of small town farms that close down each year due to factories is alarming. Without these small town farms our local planting fields become sites for apartment complexes or department stores. Those who allow themselves to be kept in the dark about this situation will never be able to see the help that the planet needs.

A person will not be able to see the beauty in our natural world if they do not make sure that their decisions will benefit, and not destroy, our earth. Many people in our world choose what is best for them instead of what is best for nature as a whole. This is a shame because these people are hurting so many magnificent creatures and organisms. Our world is filled with many surprises. We will never understand the complexity of nature, but it deserves our utmost respect because it allows us to survive.

Work Cited
Bass, Rick. “A Texas Childhood.” The Best American Spiritual Writing 2004. Philip Zaleski, ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin 2004.