Perfectness in the Imperfect

Nature has a way of soothing people. Through running cross-country, I have gained insight into why the idea of Romanticism begun, and why it proliferated. The perfectness of nature when it is imperfect is the cause of the beauty it holds. The other day while running a race in cold, rainy, and muddy weather, I questioned myself, asking if there was a reason why I run. I realized that even in these weather conditions that society has termed horrible, there lay a refuge inside of it all. Any worries of the modern world were erased during those 16 minutes of the race. Covered in mud, and in pain from running, there I was actually having fun. Even in The Scarlet Letter it is suggested, using the example of the rosebush, that nature is an escape from, in this case, a life of condemnation. Besides purging many worries, when nature is at its best, it has an aesthetic beauty to it also. From seeing the Northern Lights in Alaska, or watching the sunset on a beach nature is truly inspirational. Also, nature has a major influence in most people's lives. For example, temperature influences what we wear, seasons influence activities we do, and so on.  The major role that the environment plays in our lives, from being a refuge, an inspiration, or just a factor of our lives, is the reason for Romanticism.