In The Tables Turned, Wordsworth wrote:
"... One impulse from a vernal wood / May teach you more of man, / Of moral evil and of good, / Than all the sages can. ..."
I've just returned from such a wood which is carefully managed for wildlife by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. It was a glorious walk full of birdsong, primroses, and shifting light and shade; a joy to be there on a warmer than forecast afternoon.
But what, if anything, did it teach me about humanity, moral evil and good? This question is no less difficult than the last time I asked it of myself. This time, however, I'm going to hazard an answer:
It taught me to remember to be grateful to the Trust and the people who lead it and work for it, and for those who support it in whatever way they can. And by extension, to be grateful to other organisations up and down the world that do similar things for the benefit of all.
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