Legacy of Beauty and Life
"We must begin thinking like a river if we are to leave a legacy of beauty and life for future generations." - David Brower
Thinking like a river is not easy. When one hears (or reads) the word "river," generally what comes to mind is water flowing down a channel. For many, a river is nothing more than a way to quickly move water out of an area, hopefully without flooding; basically a big, naturally occurring drainage ditch. That simplistic way of thinking is an unfortunate development of our contemporary mechanized urban society.
In fact, a river is an extremely complex hydro-eco-geologic system filled and flowing with the poetry of life. To add to the complexity, a river includes all the springs, creeks, streams and, yes, even the storm drains flowing into it. A river is the centerpiece of an entire watershed.
One must live beside and understand a river to be able to think like one. It helps to have lived by more than one and to have spent time observing them. Then one may come to realize:
In fact, a river is an extremely complex hydro-eco-geologic system filled and flowing with the poetry of life. To add to the complexity, a river includes all the springs, creeks, streams and, yes, even the storm drains flowing into it. A river is the centerpiece of an entire watershed.
One must live beside and understand a river to be able to think like one. It helps to have lived by more than one and to have spent time observing them. Then one may come to realize:
"A river seems a magic thing. A magic, moving, living part of the very earth itself." - Laura GilpinThese photos of a great blue heron were taken on my walk along the San Antonio River on Wednesday, November 14.
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