Nature Therapy

Human accomplishment has led to areas of population density that were unheard of not long ago. As much as we are communal creatures, we are designed to live in small communities surrounded by nature. Now we spend most of our days inside staring at screens, and only communing with our household on a daily basis. While it can be hard to find community in our busy lives where we're over-saturated with human contact, nature is everywhere.

I was privileged in my youth to have the forest in my backyard, tucked away in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. The trees, ferns, moss, creeks, salamanders, daffodils, and foxglove of that magical time are still clear in my mind. When my family had to leave it behind, I yearned for the wilderness. Mental health issues led to me finding peace in mindfulness with the nature of everyday. The free medicine of going for a walk, alone or with friends, just breathing, seeing, hearing. A lavender bush covered in busy bees, a bright red cardinal chasing his mate, the screech of squirrels as I walk my dog. Insignificant in the grand scheme of things, I have found comfort in the little things. It's amazing what can be hiding in plain sight if you take a moment to observe your surroundings and be present. We are constantly pressured to be productive, but it's okay to embrace serenity. There is beauty and life all around us, even in the midst of a winter freeze.