Though I do not live in Big Sur, but it has been an important touchstone and retreat for me since the first time I visited as a thirteen-year-old boy 54 years ago. Henry Miller’s vision is a beautiful one, a Paradise shared. I wish it were to be. When you enter a temple or a church you must act accordingly. And if you believe, as I do, that nature in its raw form is the holiest place there is, then you do likewise. The only thing preventing Henry’s vision of a Paradise shared are people who do not know how to behave in a sacred place. Paradise is getting harder to find after this past half century. But a visit in the dead of winter, or when secreting oneself at the hermitage, it is still possible to get a glimpse of it.
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what a lovely and graciously expressed generosity of spirit expressed here, bless him for the richness of his kindness !
and in 1946 the world population was 2.5 billion ( now about 8 B ), US population was 140 million ( now about 320M+ ) and California was at 9.5M ( now a groaning 40 M ).
I attempt to echo his generosity but struggle with the abundant disregard and foolishness of those who come, seemingly not to experience it but to simply get the check on the list of their Instagram feed.
again, what a wonderful generosity of generosity of spirit expressed, a goal for all of us to be sure.
thanks for sharing this Kate !
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To Richard – The numbers speak volumes. Thank you for making this point. The ever-expanding human population is the number one threat to peace and the very survival of humans and many other living things on this home we call Earth. It is a main root of all the issues before us. This needs to be a topic of conversation in community and political discourse.
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When people come to any area in high numbers…the goose that laid the Golden Egg is in peril. It is the unique beauty and history of Big Sur that creates the attraction….but human kind does not have the best record of understanding the need and responsibility to leave it untouched as possible. State and National Parks have leverage with governmental oversight. And they are essentially owned by the tax-payers. Big Sur to a large degree, does not have that level of protective oversight. The responsibility for preservation is with the Locals…and they have done an excellent job in that effort.
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As if the population weren’t bad enough, “we” pile needless over-consumption on top of that. If “we” stopped consuming even one of the most popular but needless consumables for even one day, just think of the impact. A shot heard round the corporate world? There are more of us that we realize!
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What would Henry say now…? His Partington ridge home area became a community, but Big Sur is not the same as it was during his time.
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It saddens me to experience the horror happening to so many places where I worshiped the incredible beauty of our natural landscapes. Too many people with no appreciation for the gifts we were given. Too little consideration for preserving them. I’ve just finished a book (“Finding the Mother Tree” by Suzanne Smard) that gives me a glimmer of hope that there seems to be a sliver of hope and an awakening awareness of what our disregard for the true treasures of this earth offer if only we can save them. ☯️
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To Richard: Your words were written so eloquently. Beautiful! Big Sur has always been such a spiritual place for me. Being there rocks me to my core. I feel the beauty and the land deep in my soul. Thank you for sharing.
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I agree. People have forgotten how to treat our sacred spaces — at least way too many people have. There are those who remember and try to teach others. Michael and Richard your words resonate beyond this mere little blog. We need to be reminded to remember the sacred and dwell there.
Though I do not live in Big Sur, but it has been an important touchstone and retreat for me since the first time I visited as a thirteen-year-old boy 54 years ago. Henry Miller’s vision is a beautiful one, a Paradise shared. I wish it were to be. When you enter a temple or a church you must act accordingly. And if you believe, as I do, that nature in its raw form is the holiest place there is, then you do likewise. The only thing preventing Henry’s vision of a Paradise shared are people who do not know how to behave in a sacred place. Paradise is getting harder to find after this past half century. But a visit in the dead of winter, or when secreting oneself at the hermitage, it is still possible to get a glimpse of it.
what a lovely and graciously expressed generosity of spirit expressed here, bless him for the richness of his kindness !
and in 1946 the world population was 2.5 billion ( now about 8 B ), US population was 140 million ( now about 320M+ ) and California was at 9.5M ( now a groaning 40 M ).
I attempt to echo his generosity but struggle with the abundant disregard and foolishness of those who come, seemingly not to experience it but to simply get the check on the list of their Instagram feed.
again, what a wonderful generosity of generosity of spirit expressed, a goal for all of us to be sure.
thanks for sharing this Kate !
To Richard – The numbers speak volumes. Thank you for making this point. The ever-expanding human population is the number one threat to peace and the very survival of humans and many other living things on this home we call Earth. It is a main root of all the issues before us. This needs to be a topic of conversation in community and political discourse.
When people come to any area in high numbers…the goose that laid the Golden Egg is in peril. It is the unique beauty and history of Big Sur that creates the attraction….but human kind does not have the best record of understanding the need and responsibility to leave it untouched as possible. State and National Parks have leverage with governmental oversight. And they are essentially owned by the tax-payers. Big Sur to a large degree, does not have that level of protective oversight. The responsibility for preservation is with the Locals…and they have done an excellent job in that effort.
As if the population weren’t bad enough, “we” pile needless over-consumption on top of that. If “we” stopped consuming even one of the most popular but needless consumables for even one day, just think of the impact. A shot heard round the corporate world? There are more of us that we realize!
What would Henry say now…? His Partington ridge home area became a community, but Big Sur is not the same as it was during his time.
It saddens me to experience the horror happening to so many places where I worshiped the incredible beauty of our natural landscapes. Too many people with no appreciation for the gifts we were given. Too little consideration for preserving them. I’ve just finished a book (“Finding the Mother Tree” by Suzanne Smard) that gives me a glimmer of hope that there seems to be a sliver of hope and an awakening awareness of what our disregard for the true treasures of this earth offer if only we can save them. ☯️
To Richard: Your words were written so eloquently. Beautiful! Big Sur has always been such a spiritual place for me. Being there rocks me to my core. I feel the beauty and the land deep in my soul. Thank you for sharing.
I agree. People have forgotten how to treat our sacred spaces — at least way too many people have. There are those who remember and try to teach others. Michael and Richard your words resonate beyond this mere little blog. We need to be reminded to remember the sacred and dwell there.