As a child my days were spent outside. Climbing trees, playing in the woods, jumping across the strategically placed stones allowing me to go from one side of the creek to the other. Nature was and has always been my happy place. Those early days were responsible for forming the bond I currently have with the great outdoors. I am grateful for the forests, the wildlife, the mountains, the trails, and the rivers. All are sources of great joy. I love watching a sunrise. I love watching a sunset. And I love filling the hours in between by watching and listening to birds, photographing wild animals, taking hikes, anything that places me in nature. The benefits of spending time in nature are well known. The list includes reducing stress, improving mood, calming us down, decreasing anxiety. All things that lead to better health and well being.
I attribute my health (both mental and physical) to the time I spend in nature. However, recently I experienced a devastating loss. My sister passed away. My heart ached and I found myself engulfed in feelings of great sadness. I missed her so much. Losing someone you love is an incredibly painful experience. I was grieving. Mourning is a very personal experience. Everyone deals with loss in their own way. My way was to run to nature. I went to all my favorite places. The sadness and heartache was still there. Where was my smile? Where was the joy? My wise niece said to me “don’t think of it as your happy place, for now think of it as your healing place.” She was so right. To find both my smile and the joy, I needed to look at things in a different way. Nature was now my healing place. I let nature heal me. I paid more attention to the beauty surrounding me. I looked for signs that everything was going to be OK. I found so many of them that made me realize my sister was still with me. The Cardinal flashing me the peace sign.
The Calliope Hummingbird that showed up in a place where I had never seen one before.
I immersed myself in nature in a new way and I let the healing process begin. Nature has helped heal my broken heart. I learned that if you let it, the beauty surrounding you can be very comforting. I once read that grief is not a place to stay. You must find ways to overcome your grief. For me it was going outside. To the water, the mountains, the woods. And letting these places bring joy back into my life. Everyone is dealing with something. Find peace in the natural areas that surround you. Look at the flowers, the trees, the rivers, the landscape in a new way. Let nature heal you. And for all that Mother Nature does to help us overcome loss and to feel better, don’t we owe it to her to protect and preserve her. Together we can make the world a better place.
Wild Wild West 