Maxton Mazzella: Peace in Nature

Maxton Mazzella PhotoVoice

The Students of HUM2020

Jennifer Mazzella, Female, 39 years old, My mom.

“This path looks so welcoming. It would be perfect for a morning run or an evening stroll. But where will the path lead? I don’t think it really matters though. It might be cliché but I think Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best, ‘It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.’ Take the opportunity when walking down this or any path to just be in the moment. Connect to nature, or better yet, connect to yourself” -Jennifer Mazzella.

This picture was taken by the participant Jennifer Mazzella. This image takes me back to Module 2 where Audre Lorde defines the connection between humans and their environment. In the picture, she captured a perspective where you cannot see the destination, only the journey. When seeing this path, surrounded by a beautiful environment and no ending, it subconsciously reminded her to enjoy the journey, not the destination.

 

“This is a small portion of hundreds, or maybe thousands, of acres being cleared to become a brand-new community. When I see this image, I have mixed emotions. On one hand, I’m grateful that this project will bring jobs to the area. We have been so blessed in the last few years that projects like this have kept so many people employed when times were so uncertain for so much of the country. This might also help a family realize their own “American Dream”. On the other hand, I am distraught. Clearing so much of the woodlands means taking away the home of all the woodland creatures. The dead animals on the roadside has increased tenfold. I am also scared that removing so many trees in the area will make us more prone to flooding when the next hurricane or tropical storm hits without the trees to drink up the water. They call this progress but I’m not so sure” -Jennifer Mazzella.

In module 1, we discussed Environmental Humanities, and how it can differ between westerners, and non-westerners. Jennifer captured this image in North East Florida, and it remind me of the western view of environmental humanities, which is that humans are more important than the environment. We can see this in the picture and paragraph because she says they are cutting all the trees down for the benefit of humans. Jennifer took this picture because it made her feel confused as to whether she should be happy for humans or sad for the environment in this situation.

 

“A beautiful sunset and an amazing dune system. Images like this remind me what an amazing painter and sculptor God is. These dunes not only offer protection to the gopher tortoises and vegetation that live within them but protection to the island that they surround. Without the dune system, the beach would be more susceptible to erosion. I am so thankful for this natural defense. I am also so grateful that I can see this magnificent view. It makes me feel calm and at peace when I look out at this expanse. Breathtaking!” -Jennifer Mazzella.

The main idea of this image and the way she describes it, is nature is beautiful. It can be a great habitat for many creatures and look amazing at the same time! When I saw this picture, it prompted me back to Module 6.2, where the environmental activist exhibits a new painting in a museum in Orlando. Both the painting and the nature give you some peace of mind. I believe that is why Jennifer caught this photo. It is pure art.

Theme: Jennifer Mazzella had one main idea shared between these three photos. As a society we should protect the beauty of the environment.

Media Attributions

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Environmental Humanities PhotoVoice Project Matthew Copyright © by The Students of HUM2020 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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