Why We Go Outside
“Every walk should offer some knotty problem for the children to think out –– 'Why does that leaf float on the water, and this pebble sink?’ ” (Charlotte Mason. Home Education. Vol. 1, pg. 153-154.)
I can’t imagine that anyone standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon wonders, “Oh my, the wonder and majesty of erosion!” No, when people enter into those ineffable natural spaces, the mind is drawn into the sheer magnitude and utter beauty of all that we can’t quite take in. Hopefully, those moments take us a step further and we enter into worship, not of the depth of the canyon or its various coloration in contrast with the bright blue sky, but of the Creator, who brought it into existence.
Our high school students recently stood on that very threshold, gathering up all that their finite optic nerves could translate. We orchestrate big trips like this for many reasons, but one of them is the cultivation of humility. You see, the natural world, as the expression of God’s mind, is infinite. We can not come to the end of it as we are drawn further and further into the detail of every element, both on macroscopic and microscopic terms. This is important because it teaches us to live life outwardly, rather than inwardly, and when we live in such a manner, we live humbly.
In the age of video games; on-demand, series binge-watching; TikTok, YouTube, and social media, living outwardly is becoming more and more scarce as people turn inward for answers, and, consequently, a humble appreciation for the gift of life is showing itself less and less. In short, our cultural, collective conscience tends to look inward for answers, for entertainment, for comfort, for wisdom, for truth; we worship economy, science, and industry, all seemingly derived from ourselves and our finite vision of the world, therefore displacing eternal God and enthroning our limited selves.
As parents and teachers, we are obligated to reverse this trend. As summer plans are made and time together is mapped out, plan to get outside often and in meaningful ways. We can all use a healthy dose of the infinite, that our hearts and minds remain connected to the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Russ York
Head of School
