Think BIG about Indiana

There’s great power in a good question. It can inspire you to think a bit deeper, read a bit further and talk a bit longer.

We’ve enjoyed taking the time to ask those good questions during our Next Indiana Campfires adventures. In honor of National Arts & Humanities Month, we’re asking you to think, read and talk all October long. This week, we want you to ponder the things you’ve seen and experienced.

Step outside, grab a piece of environmental literature (start with a few of our favorite Mary Oliver quotes) and think BIG about the following questions. Feeling inspired? Tweet us a few of your answers using @INHumanities and #trekandtalk!

• What’s your favorite place to experience the outdoors in Indiana?
• What’s the landscape like where you live? How has it shaped life and culture in your community?
• Have you ever read something that deepened your appreciation for nature or made you think about it in a new way? What was it, and how did it change you?
• Do you think there’s something distinctive about the way Hoosiers think and act that comes from the environment that surrounds us? If so, what?
• What actions do you take in your everyday life to leave a legacy to future Hoosiers?
• Who’s the greatest champion of the Hoosier environment you know? What do they do that inspires you?
• There are many ways Hoosiers use nature—for relaxation, for reflection, for sustenance, for livelihood. What role does nature play in your life? How do we balance the different ways Hoosiers use nature as we look ahead 200 years to the Next Indiana?

Looking for more? There’s plenty more to think, read and talk about at one of our Next Indiana Campfires. Sign up to attend an event here and immerse yourself in even more fantastic literature. Can’t make an event? Register for one of our 1,000 FREE Trek & Talk Toolkits and explore on your own. Toolkits include discussion materials, swag and everything you need to make your own Next Indiana Campfire.

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Next Indiana Campfires is a unique way to connect nature, literature and Indiana’s Bicentennial. The program is supported by the Efroymson Family Fund, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust and Pulitzer Prizes Centennial Campfires. Indiana Humanities is supported in part by Lilly Endowment Inc. and the National Endowment of the Humanities. 

This post is part of the weekly blog series devoted to the initiative. Check back every Tuesday to learn more about Indiana’s great environmental literature, find out interesting facts about Hoosier stewardship, get all the latest program details and more.