A basic underpinning of indigenous thought is the realization of the interconnectedness of all things. Deep ecology comes to my mind as another sort of explanation, but as a thought process. If you are truly connected to the place you live, you can look and see where one thing depends on another for its being there. We have Rough-legged hawks that winter here in the valley, because we have a good supply of small rodents. We have a good supply of rodents because we have grain and grasses the grow here in plenty. In order to have grasses, we have to have the right rain and sun patterns that allow them to grow here. We also have the whitetail deer, who also have a great love for grasses, so we can count ourselves lucky to have those beings here as well. To me, philosophically, this is a great place to live because you can still see things connecting without much human damage. But the damage is happening, places traditionally used for food gathering and other cultural traditions are being used for housing sites, plowed under, and trampled by improper livestock practices. I see use of the land making certain places tired. It is something to drive by a piece of property (I truly mean in the western sense, fences and all.) and see and/or feel that it needs a break from the constant winter pasturing of x numbers of cattle. I like beef as much as the next omnivore, but there has to be a better way. Always, always always, Is man a part of nature or are we above it?
That is my thought for today.
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