The seasons of nature are its calling card for me. The beauty of each season seems to say, "Come over here and look at me!" The lovely views and scents are all free for as much as you want to take in! Let me not forget the sweet birdsong of mornings. I love thinking of just how old those bird melodies might be? Even the raucous gulls and crows must be voicing ancient sounds of their long-ago kin. Thoughts like this bring me back indoors refreshed to more easily focus on today's challenges.
Nature quiets the mind. No matter what's going on in our individual bubbles, getting outdoors quiets all of it. I'm so grateful I have a nature loving wild dog lol. All she ever wants to do is be outside, rain, snow, or shine. So that's where we go for our personal peace.
Nature is neutral. It just is. Things happen - amazing things, hard things, and then it just is, going back to what was, or what is new - it's not personal, it's not judgmental, it's not shaming. It evolves separately from us and in spite of us. Her lessons are profound. I wrote a song once about nature; if I find it I'll share it with you.
This is a wonderful list. I'm going to share in one of my upcoming newsletters. And I don't think I've ever seen Table Rock. You're hiding some spectacular secrets up there!
Excellent list - I love that quote by Lao Tzu about Nature not needing to hurry as everything is accomplished.
One way Nature soothes me is it gives me perspective when I think I have problems and life does not feel fair. I think of what a Black-capped Chickadee goes through in freezing weather over the cold winter. I appreciate seeing a Yellow Warbler here in Ottawa Canada in Spring and Fall, knowing the journey to and from Central and South America. Nature's lessons in resiliency are enough to give me pause and appreciation.
That's beautiful, Neil ... thank you for adding resiliency to the list. You're so right that it can be humbling and instructive to think of all that animals living in the wild go through in the course of their lives ... in the course of one day!
This says it all. The natural world has been my greatest comfort and counselor. Jeanne, I've loved your writing since reading your columns in the St. Petersburg Times. Thank you for then, and thank you for now.
Oh, Merry, how nice is that! I'm so happy to hear from a reader of the St. Pete Times. I miss those days! Great to hear from you. And I'm so glad the natural world provides such well-being for you. Bravo!
So I did find the song. It was written as part of a project in my Music and Wellness Group - we took on the challenge to write lyrics about nature - set to the melody of Ode to Joy. So if you know the tune, you can sing the song easily. I wrote about the lessons I understand from nature:
Nature ignites our curiosity. Nature shows us how to respond to threats and then return again to calm - the how to for our nervous systems that we humans seem to lose track of. Nature shows us our interdependence and how much we are never alone in
Beautiful, Karen - agreed on all counts! And I see all those things you mention in your posts (curiosity, returning to calm, interdependence, the magnificence of small things).You've got it!
Nature feeds us nourishing, healing food.
So true, Janisse! Our nourishment.
For me, this quote says it all: "Nature is not a place to visit, it is home." –Gary Snyder
Beautiful! And so true.
Nature gets me out of my stress and helps me slow down and breathe deep.
Ooh, that's a good one, Debbie ... the slowing-down thing. I like that!
For me, it offers a rare moment of perspective, space and freedom
I like how you phrase that, Helen ... those three things are precious gifts!
The seasons of nature are its calling card for me. The beauty of each season seems to say, "Come over here and look at me!" The lovely views and scents are all free for as much as you want to take in! Let me not forget the sweet birdsong of mornings. I love thinking of just how old those bird melodies might be? Even the raucous gulls and crows must be voicing ancient sounds of their long-ago kin. Thoughts like this bring me back indoors refreshed to more easily focus on today's challenges.
Beautiful, Sandy! Thank you for sharing. Especially "...ancient sounds of their long-ago kin."
Nature quiets the mind. No matter what's going on in our individual bubbles, getting outdoors quiets all of it. I'm so grateful I have a nature loving wild dog lol. All she ever wants to do is be outside, rain, snow, or shine. So that's where we go for our personal peace.
Yes, Kristi ... the quiet! And now I have a nice visual in mind of you and your wild dog, heading outdoors in any kind of weather.
Nature is neutral. It just is. Things happen - amazing things, hard things, and then it just is, going back to what was, or what is new - it's not personal, it's not judgmental, it's not shaming. It evolves separately from us and in spite of us. Her lessons are profound. I wrote a song once about nature; if I find it I'll share it with you.
"It evolves separately from us and in spite of us." -- yes, Susi! And if you find the song, please do share.
Thank you for this list. I am keeping it, and plan to revisit and share as often as needed.
Thank you for that, MK! I know we all need reminders that nature is always there to soothe our fevered brows.
This is a wonderful list. I'm going to share in one of my upcoming newsletters. And I don't think I've ever seen Table Rock. You're hiding some spectacular secrets up there!
Table Rock is ancient and sentient. Come visit!
Excellent list - I love that quote by Lao Tzu about Nature not needing to hurry as everything is accomplished.
One way Nature soothes me is it gives me perspective when I think I have problems and life does not feel fair. I think of what a Black-capped Chickadee goes through in freezing weather over the cold winter. I appreciate seeing a Yellow Warbler here in Ottawa Canada in Spring and Fall, knowing the journey to and from Central and South America. Nature's lessons in resiliency are enough to give me pause and appreciation.
That's beautiful, Neil ... thank you for adding resiliency to the list. You're so right that it can be humbling and instructive to think of all that animals living in the wild go through in the course of their lives ... in the course of one day!
This says it all. The natural world has been my greatest comfort and counselor. Jeanne, I've loved your writing since reading your columns in the St. Petersburg Times. Thank you for then, and thank you for now.
Oh, Merry, how nice is that! I'm so happy to hear from a reader of the St. Pete Times. I miss those days! Great to hear from you. And I'm so glad the natural world provides such well-being for you. Bravo!
So I did find the song. It was written as part of a project in my Music and Wellness Group - we took on the challenge to write lyrics about nature - set to the melody of Ode to Joy. So if you know the tune, you can sing the song easily. I wrote about the lessons I understand from nature:
Nature is a perfect teacher
Humans, we must now take heed.
All her lessons give us answers,
Her medicines our ails do meet.
Stand upright and bloom where you’re rooted.
Recover from the storms of life.
Live in balance with each other.
Respect for every part of life.
Free of judgment, full of energy,
Waxes and wanes without protest.
Diversity ensures her bounty,
Nature always does her best.
We can come back into balance
Reaching up toward the sun
Letting go of useless striving
We must know that we are one
Magnificent, Susi! Thank you for sharing this. And thank you for your honoring of the Earth.
Nature ignites our curiosity. Nature shows us how to respond to threats and then return again to calm - the how to for our nervous systems that we humans seem to lose track of. Nature shows us our interdependence and how much we are never alone in
Also, nature shows us just how small we are in the grand scheme of things, but then shows us just how magnificent small things are.
Beautiful, Karen - agreed on all counts! And I see all those things you mention in your posts (curiosity, returning to calm, interdependence, the magnificence of small things).You've got it!