Since writing about some of my favorite quotes a few weeks ago, it seems that more really good one-liners have been jumping out at me everywhere I turn.
Just today my eyes fell upon a calendar page featuring a field of purple flowers (ones I couldn’t identify even with my new Ozark wildflower book, but lovely, none the less).
There was a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson printed at the top which stated: “Thelandscape belongs to the person who looks at it.”
Being one who appreciates scenic places, I totally “get” that kind of “belongs to.” That helps explain why I can’t wait to return to the upper Buffalo River area every chance I get to go back to some of “my” favorite spots. Because of the time spent there and the appreciation I hold, they have become “mine.” I miss them when I haven’t seen them for awhile. And just like an old steadfastfriend, they are there for me whenever I get the chance to return for a visit.
Similarly, my mother owns her childhood home, although on deed it is the property of someone else.
Over the years we have made trips back to that farm on Kings River in Madison County where she spent her early childhood. She tells stories of the games she played in the yard, the big rock she jumped from (which is now much smaller than it was when she was eight years old) and the trails along the river where she rode her favorite horse, Ginger.
It is obvious that even after many years, that place is still securely “hers” within the walls of her heart.
This kind of “emotionalownership” is the basis for feelings of infringement when one of the places we have grown to love becomes off limits to us. I experienced this several years back when a special landscape of my childhood was no longer accessible. It seemed unfair to me at first that someone else could keep me away from something that was “mine,” and it took me a while to get over “losing” that special place.
Having the opportunity to “own” places and things whether or not we have the financial means to purchase them is a real gift of life. What we “see” around us can, in a sense, make us wealthier. Think of the value that is added to a living space with a nice view.Often, the property where the place sits does not hold the view but it is what can be seen from there that adds the value.
In addition to landscapes, I believe the message embedded in the quote can also generalize to include other things we love and appreciate as well.
In fact, I would even go a step further and say that the most important things in our lives are those we can’t officially “own,” but due to our love, appreciation and/or commitment, are still “ours.”
An example of this is our children. As a parent, I faced the realization early on that “my” children were actually only on loan to me.
They “belong” to God, and it was my great love anddeep concern for them that made them “mine.”
No matter our situation in life, we all have ample opportunities to “own,” at least in a round about way, the things we take time to appreciate.
I can understand why someone might say that the best things in life are free. These special “belongings” aren’t the sort of wealth we will leave behind once our time on earth is finished, but they certainly make our lives richer during our stay here.
Annette Rowe is a freelance writer and a speechlanguage pathologist at Siloam Springs High School.
She may be reached by email at awalkinthepark50 @ yahoo.com.
Opinion, Pages 6 on 09/22/2010