Nature is something that has always generated feelings of wonder and awe in my life. When I was younger I remember seeing beautiful pictures of mountain ranges and tropical islands, but I didn't truly appreciate nature. This lack of appreciation was transformed to deep love and questioning of nature when I went to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The Garden of the Gods is a National Natural Landmark. It was donated to the City of Colorado Springs in 1909 by the children of Charles Perkins. Perkins had owned the property and wished to donate it but hadn't been able to before he died. The rocks in the park are known as conglomerate sandstone hogback formations. They are given this name because the formations look like the spine of a pig, or hog, rising out of the ground.
The park is free and open to the public. It offers hiking trails, mountain biking, and exceptional rock climbing due to the steep, unique rock formations.
Upon seeing the incredible rock formations and surrounding forest habitat, I found myself breathless. The scene was unlike anything I had ever witnessed in my life. The sheer beauty was awe-inspiring to me. For the first time in my life, I wondered how and where these beautiful structures could have come from. This experience assured me that there must be some higher force responsible
for this kind of feat. Where before I had admired nature, this was the first time I truly questioned it. I asked myself how God could have created such beauty, and where he could have been inspired with the idea. I also thanked him for creating such a scene, and felt truly blessed to be given the opportunity to observe it.
Since this experience I have gained a more meaningful value of nature. Whenever I see pictures of nature I pause and remember my experience at Garden of the Gods. I again wonder about how this world was created and thank God for allowing me to experience the beauty. As I grow older, I hope to be able to see more and more of nature before humanity completely wipes it out. Some of my ideal destinations include Spain, New Zealand, and South America.
