A lone tree stands in a field, inextricably being showered by falling roses. As a boy and into adulthood I had the great fortune to be exposed to nature. These encounters effected me in ways that, at the time, I wasn’t able to understand. Only with time and guidance was I able to acquire ways in which to think about my often solitary experiences in nature and the resulting effects. The natural world and what these encounters told me about my own nature was truly a gift.