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The Moral Of My First Summer In The Sierra By John Muir

777 Words4 Pages

On page x of John Muir’s non-fiction book, My First Summer in the Sierra, Galen Rowell states that “Muir’s amazing destiny can be directly traced to right intentions practiced during his lifetime.” There intentions play an enormous role in the shaping of Muir life: his ideals, morals, and values. Ultimately it is the intentions he grew up with that defined who he was as a naturalist, author and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States. Furthermore, his “right” choices in life influenced every one of his actions following. Eventually aiding in the protection of the beautiful land now known as Yosemite National Park. I believe “right intentions” means consciously choosing to act in the nature of others, to be selfless. …show more content…

Maintaining right intentions to be means not just a single choice, but consciously and continually choosing to be aware and choosing based on a purpose. From simple choices such as studying and doing well on a test, to decision that have a larger impact not only on my life but on others and the environment. I want to protect the environment and do what I can to conserve its resources. By simply choosing to take a bike instead of a car, or recycle my cereal box, take a good ol’ nature walk, I am actively making the choices and my actions speak to my good intention and purpose of working to care for our earth. As I get older, and have more responsibility, I carry out more and more of these actions with right intentions in mind. These choices have began to have a greater impact on my life, slowly shaping the person I will become in later years.As can be seen in the later years of Muir’s life, the fact that many of his actions were done with right intentions in mind, displays how these simple decisions and actions can have a dramatic effect on ones life.
My way of action and mindfulness of right intentions, much like John Muir’s, stems from my upbringing in the community I was raised in and school I am taught through. Moreover, my community is very liberal, non-conformist, environment-loving, “hippies.” I learned to eat my whole apple (core and all), to have no waste, and to kiss banana slug before I even got to middle school. I have been constantly reminded by my peers, teacher, parents, and environmental to practice good intentions personally, professionally, and

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