In light of our discussion about nature tourism ads and the controversy they pose, I wanted to share this ad I came across recently, captioned “Humanity and nature are one”.

The ad caught my eye because of how different it is from many of the other nature ads we have studied in class. The picture is simple, yet holds such a strong message. It explicitly shows the direct correlation between human and nature, driving the idea that one needs the other in order for both to coexist.

In addition, most of the ads that we looked at picture a young/middle-aged Caucasian male, or a young Caucasian couple. This ad features and old, weathered hand of an individual with dark skin. The aged hand beautifully illustrates the timeless, strong relationship between humans and the environment.

I feel as though the ad perfectly depicts what it means to be one with nature, while encouraging people to get as close as possible. In all honesty, this makes me want to explore the world around me much more than an ad telling me that nature’s sole purpose is to entertain me, or that the province I live in is MINE to discover. This depicted balance gives a feeling of restoration and ultimate beauty, which the tourism industry could use quite badly.

Step

on a crack,

and you’ll break

your mother’s

back.

This saying echoed endlessly in my head as a child anytime I walked on a road that had cracks in it. For a young girl with severe separation anxiety, each break in the path held detrimental possibilities. Now, I’m not calling myself senseless; I was an intelligent kid (or I like to think so). I knew very well that the integrity of my mother’s back was in no way connected to where my feet fell as I walked/skipped/jumped down the road. It was the tabboo behind it; if there was even the slightest possibility that my mother’s well-being could be jeopardized, I had to do everything in my power to keep it from happening.

My mom is my best friend, and always has been. Having separation anxiety when I was young only drew us closer, and although I outgrew it with time, our bond never faltered. Coming to university and leaving her behind was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. This is why I decided to channel my inner child and walk a kilometer without stepping on a single crack-just like I use to. The purity and innocence that I felt as I hopped down the sidewalk like an idiot, brought me a joy like no other. The best part of it all…the photographer was no other than my mom herself.

So, thank you mom. Thank you for teaching me how to laugh at myself. Thank you for teaching me how to be independent, and how to trust myself like I’ve always trusted you. Most of all, thank you for standing behind that camera in the chilly evening air, with the same smile on your face that I see every time I look in the mirror.

Your back is safe with me.

~Dedicated with love to Maria Zak