An Invitation For Reflection

Okay, HUPCers, we talk of our wild voice all of the time. But, oh, would we like to hear it in our LYNX. Over the last year or so we have asked for your thoughts on wilderness/wildness--why is wilderness important to you, not some third person account like, it is good for biodiversity, but why does wilderness strike your chord? We have tried to pursue a discussion of the spirit/ mystery of wilderness--again not what the literature says, but what sings in your heart. We have looked in ourselves for a reflection on the very context of environmentalism--is it relevant and why, why do we struggle if it is so right? We have begged and pleaded for book reviews and board members.

Please don’t get us wrong--we have heard from many splendid and graceful voices. Brenda Schussman and Steve Lewis have been wonderful book reviewers. Yukio Kachi, Matt Lindon, Padre Ricardo Sherman, Delna Macfarlane, and many more have provided us a voice. But we know there is more--much, much more.

You know, we fervently hope, that we are profoundly grateful for your support. Your donations come to us in the form of a book of stamps, a five dollar bill, even a $1,000 check. We wrote of this, again, we hope, with spirit, in our last issue of the LYNX (Grateful For Your Help.) But we know so many of you, because we do know so many of you, have a life time of experience in wilderness, of wilderness. And, we guess, it just has to be pried out of busy, committed folks. And try we will, again and again.

So we ask for your observations and thoughts again--why is wilderness important to you? And why the High Uintas? And why is it so damned hard to get the Forest Service to listen to our voice--rather than just shove us away, sometimes with utter disrespect and a Cheshire grin, sometimes as if we don’t exist? And why, in this day, does not our collective voice ring with such power and vision? Does wildness have a value in and of itself? Does wildness or do wild critters have a subjective existence or is it all for us to value and study and determine?

Can we only make progress in saving this wildness by finally concluding its value is primarily to and for us. Why, oh, why, do we have to say goodbye to the polar bear, or tiger or Southern Right Whale within the next few decades? Why can’t wolf be welcomed back to the Uintas along with its wild and silent partners. the wolverine and grizz?
We actually believe the answers are in our voices somewhere and we plead with you to share your voice! We are not asking for your thesis or novella, just 500, 750, or 1,000 word essays, stories, or observations. Submit your work via our contact page.

Thanks!