In the face of another four years under a Trump presidency, many people feel anxious, uncertain and afraid about what the future holds. And rightfully so, considering the draconian policies that the current administration has unleashed having only been in office for a total of 31 days. While our world was by no means perfect before Trump took office, it seems that the relative security we were enjoying has been completely upended.

As I have read recent headlines, I have often wondered about what we will do to find hope over the next four years. Moreover, how can we seek out opportunities to do justice, act with integrity and love our neighbor despite the example being set for us on the global stage?

The last time I remember feeling a similar anxiety about what the future might hold, we were in the midst of a global pandemic. During this time, my family picked up the hobby of bird watching as a way to get outside and fight off the stir-crazy boredom. While I’ll admit that my younger brother Peter and I were initially skeptical, after several outings we quickly became obsessed. As we tallied the new species we saw on our nature hikes, we gradually built up our life lists and improved our identification skills.

The pandemic ended up being one of the best times for us to begin this new hobby. In March and April, just as lockdowns were happening around the country, we were beginning to spend more and more time birding. By May – the best month in Indiana to experience bird migration – my family was lost in a world of vireos, flycatchers and warblers. 

Looking back on that beginning almost five years ago, I feel so fortunate to have made those memories with my family. The focal practice of birding has certainly drawn my family closer together. While spending a morning in the pouring rain looking at Heermann’s Gulls would have sounded insane back in 2020, by 2023 we hardly even noticed that our clothes were completely soaked through. For the majority of times I can remember getting rained on, all I can recall is how uncomfortable the experience was. However, as I think back to that morning on the beach, it’s hard to not crack a smile. While not every birding trip results in new sightings, I have often found that after I have spent time in nature, I come away feeling uplifted and rejuvenated.

Bird watching might not sound like much compared to the burden of politics, but I know that by focusing on the good things I see in birding, I can shift my perspective to the small things that are beautiful in this world. I see my ability to go birdwatching as an act of resistance against a government that wants to defund and strip environmental protection from wilderness areas.

Part of the reason why I love birds is because they do not belong to any one place. Many species migrate thousands of miles every year from their wintering grounds in Central and South America, to their breeding grounds throughout Canada and the United States. Birds do not understand the concept of “borders.” This is a powerful message of unity in a time when all we can see are the things that divide us.

One of my favorite quotes from the great poet Wendell Berry sums up what I firmly believe our next steps into the future should be: “To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival.” I believe that hobbies are a way of participating in something bigger than ourselves, our communities, our governments. As for birding, it might seem intimidating to get into at first, but an inquisitive mind and a passion for the outdoors is truly all it takes. Just step outside and have a look around.

While we are at college, it is easy to feel powerless to enact any sort of meaningful change on a national scale. However, I know that we still have the capacity to impact those who are in our local community. By being a positive force and speaking up for the things we value, we can shift our cultural perspective toward what is good in this world.