NATURE’S GENTLE MYSTIC—JOHN MUIR Nature spoke to John Muir and revealed Its hidden mysteries and exquisite perfection, so beautifully shared in his insightful words. His reverence and rapture are still alive and with us as a remembrance that every square inch of our planet is sacred ground. Muir’s legacy encourages each person to be a partner in environmental sustainability---a conscious foundation that all life depends on for survival. This pioneer of a man, who said he could have been a “millionaire” but chose to be a “tramp,” changed the world. He and President Theodore Roosevelt were the originators of the National Park Service that was founded in 1916, which was the first-ever national reserve system of precious lands around the globe. A great part of the natural beauty and environmental heritage of the United States---Yellowstone National Park being the first to lead the way in 1872---was put into a trust to safeguard the continuity wherein the 63 iconic landscapes would never again be used for economic plunder and gain. Serving as a radical departure from corporate business as usual, this template was an invitation for other countries to follow suit in legal initiative for their own lands. The National Park Service notes that “John Muir, a renowned naturalist and founder of the Sierra Club, is celebrated for his profound wisdom and eloquent reflections on nature. His words have inspired generations to appreciate and protect the natural world. Here is a collection of some of his most memorable quotes, offering a glimpse into his philosophy and love for the wilderness. 1   It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter. Letters to a Friend, July 26, 1868 (about Yosemite) [[John Muir]] It is a vast wilderness of rocks in a sea of light, colored and glowing like oak and maple woods in autumn, when the sun gold is richest. Steep Trails (about the Grand Canyon) [[John Muir]] Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike. The Yosemite [[John Muir]] The sun shines not on us but in us. John of the Mountains [[John Muir]] It's always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never all dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls. John of the Mountains [[John Muir]] I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out until sundown, for going out I found, was really going in. John of the Mountains [[John Muir]] Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. Our National Parks [[John Muir]] The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness. Wilderness World of John Muir [[John Muir]] But in every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks. Steep Trails [[John Muir]] After a whole day in the woods, we are already immortal. John of the Mountains [[John Muir]] Therefore we are all, in some sense, mountaineers, and going to the mountains is going home. Steep Trails [[John Muir]] Civilization has not much to brag about. It drives its victims in flocks, repressing the growth of individuality. Son of the Wilderness [[John Muir]] I have always befriended animals and have said many a good word for them. Even to the least-loved mosquitoes I gave many a meal, and told them to go in peace. John of the Mountains [[John Muir]]