Connecting with Things Gross and Slimy
The connection with Earth was titillating. And I found myself wondering why we as a society have lost our connection with nature?
By Chad Cryder
I was not raised as an outdoors person. Yes, I would play around the creek behind the apartment complex, but I would not be the kid catching toads or digging up worms. In fact, getting dirty was a punishable offense by my mom. Dirt, bugs, icky things were not allowed. My laundry was done daily, and dishes were not allowed to sit dirty overnight — wash them by hand or run a nearly empty dishwasher before bed. The environment wasn’t a concern back then.
My dad was also strict about cleanliness. However, as a hunter, getting dirty was necessary. You just can’t bring it inside the house (or garage). I did get sprayed down with a garden hose occasionally. Not recommended.
While getting dirty is still not my thing, I have been studying our ancestral relationship with nature. We evolved, if you believe in this theory, in nature and because of nature. We had to adapt to survive. We collected and ate thousands of different types of vegetables and only some fruits and only when in season. Protein was hunted or fished and required tremendous physical and mental efforts to secure…
