Date: 10/19/21, night
Location: my home
Conditions: 50s outside, low 70s inside
Because the colder weather has limited my ability to go out in nature, for this BCI I looked back to a recent night where I happened to witness a small spider in my apartment as it was actively building its web. This was a rare opportunity to actually see it in progress, so I set for a while to watch it at work and found it fascinating and beautiful. I don't have a fear of such small harmless spiders typically, but normally would think to do something about any spider or insect in my home. With this one, however, I actually was able to appreciate it for its beauty and skill and not mind its presence, so I left it alone until it eventually abandoned its web.
Learning the biomimetic design process was an incredibly valuable experience and one that will continue to change the way I experience nature, even when just walking through my own neighborhood. Being forced to slow down and pay attention, and questioning why things look or function the way they do, I have learned to have a new appreciation for things I see every day - the spider, swarms of pigeons on the street, flocks of geese, seagulls - even domesticated pets. Rather than taking these things for granted, learning about nature in general has helped me to appreciate the unique forms and behaviors of these organisms. Instead of lamenting the fact that I live in an urban environment that is not as close to nature as I would like to be, I can still appreciate what we do have in the city, and recognize how much better it can be when you actually pay attention.