LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1292449
54 Fall 2020 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk "The mountains are calling, and I must go." We have all heard this John Muir quote, perhaps ad nause- am. Despite recent public revelations regarding the compli- cated and concerning background of Muir, this quote alone will leave him a frequented name. No matter how many times we've seen this line stitched onto pillows, etched into trinkets, inserted onto photos, or quoted in Local ADK Mag- azine articles, we can agree there is something universal in these eight words, originally penned in a letter to his sister in 1838, that cannot be ignored. "The mountains are calling" invokes a sense of an open invitation, a willingness to share their quiet, magnificent presence with all who are willing to arrive. That "call," that magnetism pulling us in from ever y walk of life, is unyielding. The second half of this familiar phrase, "and I must go," stresses our innate compulsion to respond. It is not "I want to go," but that I "must." There is an urgency. These words do not seem to hold an underlying fear of retribution, that "I must do this or else..." Rather, it seems we are compelled out of respect for the opportunity to experience something so profound it cannot be ignored. As Covid-19 spread to ever y corner of the world, shutting down essentially ever y institution in its wake, those able to access and exist in a virtual world were suddenly forced to spend an endless number of hours on screens. Prior to Covid, it was no secret that individual screen time steadily rose from year to year while time spent outdoors continued to dwindle. However, as screens were suddenly forced upon us rather than used by choice, one thing became abundantly clear: human beings are still drawn to the peace and stillness of the natural world. Parks once frequented by handfuls of recreationalists were now filled to the brim with individuals, friends, and families tr ying to get fresh air while maintaining social distancing guidelines. Trails once relatively empty were suddenly filled with those avoiding the now over-crowded parks in their community. Bikes flew out of shops and online markets fast- er than ever before. Children flocked to playgrounds that had been quiet for years. Communities saw neighbors walk- ing down one another's streets on a daily basis, ever yone nodding a greeting at those who lived only a handful of yards away but had yet to meet one another.