Blog #1 Austin Justice

As I begin to contemplate over the multitude of captivating, colorful locations I have visited throughout my lifetime, I find myself retaining a greater appreciation for the natural world. One particular place that persists in my mind is Seabrook Island, South Carolina. It truly served as a means of escape from the intrusions of the outside world. It boasted a thriving ecosystem, with wildlife galore. Seabrook Island is peacefully secluded from external nuisances, thereby allowing its residents to stay in touch with nature. While traveling towards the apartment, I took notice of the pristine beach, scenic tidal marshes, meandering creeks and wooded trails that surrounded me. I could truly appreciate and enjoy the world of nature—a world that had eluded me for a majority of my life. Being accustomed to Mason, Ohio, a flourishing suburban area, life was turned upside down for me in Seabrook Island. Deer dashed across the roads near the condominium, foxes scampered through the thick forests and turtles toddled to the sea. Never before had I ridden a bike through the vast wilderness that surrounded me; stopping to take in the prevalence, extravagance and beauty of the natural world. The three aesthetic dimensions of nature: the beautiful (which consists of small, smooth objects of varied, delicate and fair colors), the sublime (which consists of threatening/terrifying manifestations of nature and powerful, vast and intense objects) and the picturesque (which consists of a middle ground between the beautiful and the sublime) certainly came into play throughout the entirety of the island. Due to the fact that works of art have idealized nature in an inaccurate manner, as proclaimed by Ronald Hepburn in his article entitled, "Contemporary Aesthetics and the Neglect of Natural Beauty," several scenes of nature didn't draw my attention as well as others did. Because I had never before encountered this magnitude of the natural world before, I withdrew my own interests/associations in order to fully experience the magnificence of nature. Personally, I adopted a mindset of disinterestedness, in which I removed my own personal perspective from my reaction to the natural world. I have come to wholeheartedly fall in love with the untouched natural world because of its many positive qualities; this is commonly referred to as positive aesthetics. At a particular point in time, however, I also saw the nature of Seabrook Island, coupled with my own experiences, in order to comprehend the entire environment. I might not have known much in regards to the entire history of Seabrook Island, but I can comfortably say that I left with a newfound respect and appreciation of the natural world. I thoroughly enjoy to travel, and I plan on going around the world in my lifetime. Seabrook Island merely provided me with ample satisfaction of the natural world. It simply facilitated my endeavors to uncover the beauty of nature across the globe. Sincerely, Austin Justice