Making Nature Sacred-Chelsea Gilbert

In the book Making Nature Sacred, there are many depictions of the relation between nature and older historical days of America. Well-known writers such as Jonathan Edwards, Emerson, Thoreau, and Rachel Carson are used in this book to describe the trip for pursuing spiritual revelation through nature. I enjoyed reading this book because I think it was more personal based, relating to more events that have happened in history. The book's focus is about America's loss of spirituality in nature and how we, as Americans, should seek it. On page 187, Gatta speaks of Barry Lopez's words. "An image I have from childhood is of a group of men and women praying somewhere in the desert. The reason chronically myopic and selfish people have not destroyed us with nuclear weapons is that, in a rarefied and metaphorical way, there have been these enclaves of monastics praying. What keeps these things from exploding, perhaps, is that each of us in his own way is saying his prayers." I believe this quote is a perfect example of how nature and spiritual-based writers want us to live. They want us to find use in nature and connect it to our religious life. I believe this quote also exemplifies the good that a spiritual life serves for our community and America.