On 14 November 2015, in collaboration with An-Nahdhah Mosque Youth Executive Committee, FiTree organised a #FiTreeWalks at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. Here is a reflection by one of the participants:
The Bishan Park walk was very nostalgic walk in the park for me, and at the same time, a new and exciting experience. I spent most of my childhood in Bishan, and back then, the park was one of my favourite “haunts” to enjoy the fresh air, spot fishes and terrapins in the canal and have fun with my family and friends. Joining my friends at An-Nahdhah and FiTree proved to be an insightful, enjoyable nature trip with new discoveries along the way.
Khairi, our guide, is from NParks, and from her we learnt many fun facts about the park, parks in Singapore in general, and even the names of the plants and trees we encountered along the way. Many of our queries about the greenery in Singapore were helpfully answered; especially those kinds of questions you wonder about as you were growing up in the garden city, thinking if you’ll ever know the answers to them. For example, we got to know why some regions in Singapore had fruit trees while others didn’t, and what went behind the choice of each and every tree planted in Singapore. We also got to know what happened to trees or plants that were uprooted or tumbled down by strong winds and thunderstorms. We even got to know why we could now see many varieties of flourishing mushrooms when it was quite the rare sight before! It was quite the Harry Potter-experience for me, tentatively poking into wild mushrooms and thinking that it might wail back.
So, while it may just seem like another morning at the park, it definitely was a new adventure for me. We explored the canal, found apple snails and their eggs, different varieties of butterflies, we got to guess the different herbs that were growing abundantly in the park and touch and smell them, and we got to hang out under an umbrella of a cherry tree.
We were also made aware of the important role that each and every one of us had to play to keep our surroundings lush, beautiful and clean for all to enjoy. I think above all, what I appreciated most was the chance for all of us who set on this journey together, to feel, see, touch, hear and experience the abundance and beauty that Allah SWT has granted to us, to understand better the perfections behind each and every creation. He has crafted, and our role as khalifahs to protect and honour this gift of Nature and diversity.
From all our bright smiles and excited albeit tired faces, I could see that we were all renewed and revitalised from the walk in the park, and I look forward to more of these trips in future, inshaa Allah! Heartfelt thanks to the main organizers of this event, Aishah and Suhaimi of An-Nahdhah Youth Wing, and the team from Fitree 🙂
Written by Sis Masturah, An-Nahdhah Mosque Youth Executive Committee member
On 14 Nov 2015, we had #FiTreeWalks at Bishan Park with An-Nahdhah Mosque youths. There were sharing sessions, reflections and group activities along with the walk.
Walk with FiTree and we’ll open your eyes to things in nature that you always see, but may not really see with deep appreciation and reflection on our duty as Stewards of the Earth. Contact us at greenfitree@gmail.com if you wanna walk with us. (FiTree is a 100% non-profit volunteer group)
“Have they not travelled in the land so that they should have hearts with which to understand, or ears with which to hear? For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the breasts.”
[Al-Qur’an; Al-Hajj 22:46]
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[…] FiTreeWalks. We take people of all ages out for walks and open their eyes to things in nature that they always see, but may not really see with deep appreciation and reflection on our duty as caretakers of the Earth. Read a reflection from one of our participants here. […]