It Makes Sense To Me

What if you could only use one of your five senses? I have to admit that it frightens me to think that I might lose my sense of sight. I have not been told that I might... it just frightens me. Which sense do you think you would miss most?

I have a challenge for each of you.


We all love nature. That is why we are here. How would it be to experience the joys of nature with only one sense? I think it might be interesting to find out.

So I propose a simple experiment. Choose one of your favorite places to be in nature. It might be a hiking trail, the woods, or even your own back yard. My favorite is on the bank of a stream near a large weeping willow. Plan on trying five different days and one sense for each day. I believe sitting might be better than standing.

Sight: Sit at you favorite place. Use only your sense of sight and take in all your place has to offer. Does it look cold or warm? Notice the colors. Not just red, blue, or green. Notice the shades of each color. Look at movement. Are the trees swaying in the wind? Is the grass rippling? Does dust swirl in the air. See if the sky is cloudy, sunny, or a combination. Really look at everything. What do you see?

Hearing: Sit in the same place. Close your eyes. What do you hear? You might hear water flowing. Does it sound different from different directions? The leaves might rustle. Are they tree leaves or leaves on the ground? Can you hear animal sounds? Try to identify them. Narrow it down as much as possible. Listen to the wind. It carries sounds that we often ignore.

Smell: Again sit in your spot. Sniff and pay attention to the smells. You might smell decaying plant life. Perhaps there are flowers blooming. How many can you distinguish? Have animals been close? Often they leave smells. Hopefully you don't pick a skunk. Smell trees. Different species smell different. Is there rain in the air? It smells so good.

Feel: Don't look. Feel the area around you. Trees have bark on their trunks, leaves on branches, and either flowers or fruit depending on the time of year. Dig in the ground a bit. Does it feel moist or dry? Does it feel rich or barren? Pet a few flowers. Some are fuzzy and others feel smoother. Dry and decaying leaves are good to feel. The sensations are limitless.

Taste: This one can be difficult because I don't want anyone poisoning themselves. If you are familiar with the plants in your spot and know which ones are not toxic, taste a few. Leaves, flowers, and fruit. Savor each flavor. It may sound icky but try a taste of soil. Taste the air. It is actually quite easy. I will caution about water. If you are not sure where it comes from be careful. But I know from experience that some water is so sweet and tasty while some will make you want to wretch.

Now you have the idea. Let me know if there are other things you try with each sense. You may learn something about yourself. You will definitely have new knowledge of nature.

Children will be especially open to trying this. It is a wonderful way for them to experience their surroundings.