January 21, 2015 - 22:04
My username is Ariel Skye, my first and middle name. My parents felt inspired to include an aspect the natural world in my name (with an “e” at the end, to avoid being predictable). I chose the name Ariel Skye for this account because I’ve always used it as a stage name of sorts. Using this name allows me to protect my “true” identity, and rather portray myself to the world as I want to be seen.
My avatar is a picture of me that was taken a few days ago on a sailboat in Los Angeles. It captures a moment in my life where I was truly awe-struck by nature. While on the boat, my dad asked me to sing “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac. As soon as I finished the final phrase of the song, a school of dolphins rose up next to the boat, jumping and surfing in its wake. In that moment, I felt nothing but pure joy and astonishment.
I’ve always expected the natural world to provide me with solace, a sanctuary from my own mind. Instead, I often find myself getting lost and distracted. It’s silence and space forces me to reflect on issues that I rarely confront in my day to day life. My experience sailing with these dolphins was a rare moment where I was fully present in the world. During this course I want to explore why people turn to nature to seek answers, and, conversely, why they do so to escape hard questions.