A heartfelt note to the (Bowling Green-Warren County Planning) Commission and to the Warren County Fiscal Court.

What is beauty?

Beauty is life that is close to nature. It’s like that old saying, if a tree falls in the forest but no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Or, if a blazing, beautiful sunset occurs but no one sees it, is it beautiful?

In both cases, the answer is yes.

As for man-made structures, the most beautiful things are those that mimic nature which, of course, were made by God. If our town continues to become filled with strip malls, Walmart or dollar store structures, those structures are not beautiful. And if churches take the shape of bad architecture, they are not glorifying, they are an atrocity.

I love visiting New York City, Chicago and Dallas. However, their skylines will never come close to the beauty of the “skyline” of the Smoky Mountains or that of the Tetons in Wyoming.

Beauty has an impact on our spirit. The way things look matters. The uglier we make our environment, the more we oppress the people who live in that environment. We tell them they are worth less.

A ten-pound Muskie out of Drakes Creek is beautiful.

An 8-point buck, that we thank for its sustenance, is beautiful.

Duck blinds or hunting cabins in the field are beautiful.

These things remind us of what beauty is and it is a reflection of God who made it all.

We have dominion which means we have kingship but it does not mean we are fully in charge or have absolute power. Having dominion does not mean defining the terms.

Nature writes the rules and our only decision is whether or not we are going to follow those rules.

Jack Scott

Bowling Green