TEXT_Cheryl Iao
PHOTOS_Pheobe Ho
Living in the bustle of downtown can sometimes be exhausting. Let’s go on a spiritual trip by getting closer to Mother Nature - the origin of all creatures! “Breathing and Reading in the Mountains” is one of the 2022 “Book Sharing” Reading Promotion Events organized by Macao Public Library of the Cultural Affairs Bureau. It is intended for hikers to reconnect with the environment and themselves while walking on Taipa Pequena and Coloane Hac Sá Reservoir Natural Park Trail, following the rhythm of nature. There are parent-child groups and adult groups, and both will take part in “Reading” and “Mountain Art” to get a glimpse of the powerful and mysterious nature by reading books on nature, and learning the basic knowledge of hiking.
Under the guidance of counselors, participants are going to pick up fallen flowers and leaves, and carefully observe every detail during their trip. By reconnecting to their surroundings through small things, hikers are going to better understand nature. Outdoor education enables participants to return to nature through their interaction with the environment, and receive nature’s messages as they are, says Lok Man Lon, who is in charge of “Mountain Art”. Reading guides Lin Da Xiang and Lin Ying Cong (Tai Chong) have selected the picture book What’s up? What’s down? For parent-child groups in order to broaden kids’ horizon, and The Forest on relationships for adult groups. They believe that the combination of outdoor readings and mountain art will not only make the books more perceivable, but also help cultivate children’s awareness of environmental protection. At the same time, adults can relate to their life experiences in the process of reading.
Lin Da Xiang invites participants to read picture books together on the grass.
Lok Man Lon, the hiking leader, taught the participants not to damage the natural ecology during the event.
