Slowly, Insidiously

I recently had occasion to meet up with someone I had not seen for several years. I didn’t think he wanted to hear “wow, you sure are starting to look like your dad,” so I did not say that. And he was polite enough not to say ‘wow, you sure look a lot older than you did last time I saw you.” When you see someone everyday, you don’t notice them aging. Similarly, you may not notice small gradual changes in your place. Another small pocket of woodlands converted to a development. Another creek paved over, hidden from daylight. Another piece of farmland taken out of food production. Someone who had not been there for a while notices the changes, but those that live there every day might not. After the losses build up enough people ask “how much nature do we need?” Is it at all like the aging person asking “how healthy do I want to stay?”