Why do National Parks matter?
In a digitally connected age, where we are creating a generation addicted the slab of plastic and glass, it is very easy to lose the perspective of reality, and experiencing the present for what it really is. The popularity contests inherent in the digital generation shifts focus away from what is tangible to what is virtual.
National Parks are perhaps some of the few destinations that offer a reality check. It can put you under constraints that requires one to be physically present and think with their feet and not with their phones, and can provide enough of a draw to actually distract a visitor from their phones long enough to pique their curiosity to make a lasting impact.
My personal draw to 34 (and counting) of these unique National parks is the eager inquisitiveness to see what's out there. Exploring the diverse biomes that have been preserved in the different parks has certainly enriched my perspective on the grand ecological balance of nature. And perhaps there is nothing more exhilerating that standing atop a summit, with the world stretching forever around.
This was from one such visit to a local favorite: Mt Rainier National Park in Washington, where high atop one of the lookout points, the glaciated volcanic summit towers above the wildflower-filled grassy meadows and high-alpine atmosphere.
Mt Rainier National Park
WA USA