Right now I am sitting on a grassy spot under a tree near Lake Michigan. It is the first truly beautiful day of the season and everyone is out and enjoying it. There are moms taking walks with their babies sleeping peacefully in the stroller. Little girls warming up for soccer practice in Lincoln Park. Adults of all ages, colors and shapes sprawling out like cats on the concrete around the lake just basking in the sun. Observing all of this beauty is a powerful reminder of how healing nature is. Being connected with some aspect of nature connects us to the largest current of life. It presents us with the opportunity to see the bigger picture and see the beauty that is inherent in everything. When we allow ourselves a moment to appreciate nature and get connected to it, everything slows down. “Smell the roses” has become a cliché, but indeed this concept is where that phrase came from!
People are just drawn to nature on a day like this and it’s interesting because everyone is drawn to a different aspect of it. My mom, for instance, is most drawn to the woods and loves being in the forest on a beautiful day. She has a horse and her favorite thing to do in the entire world is be with her horse enjoying the trees, the wind, the sun, the birds, and the shade. For me, it’s water that captivates me. Just being by the lake right now is so incredibly soothing and calming. The color, the sound, the waves…I love it all. What aspect of nature are you drawn to the most? For some people it’s the mountains. For others its seeing the trees on a beautiful fall day. Once you know what you’re most drawn to, go and seek it out! Now I know what you’re thinking: if you’re really into mountains and you live in Colorado that’s a bit easier than if you are here in Chicago, like me. But there are so many ways to incorporate this healing power into your life. Use a beautiful scenic picture of your favorite mountain range as your desktop on your office computer. Download one of the hundreds of water podcasts and listen to it every day on your way to and from work. Take the time to visit the places that bring you the most peace; Lake Michigan isn’t as fantastic as an ocean, but it certainly works! Now that the weather is getting nicer, make it a priority to appreciate the beauty around you. Because when we stop to appreciate the beauty around us, we also have a greater appreciation for the beauty within us.
People are just drawn to nature on a day like this and it’s interesting because everyone is drawn to a different aspect of it. My mom, for instance, is most drawn to the woods and loves being in the forest on a beautiful day. She has a horse and her favorite thing to do in the entire world is be with her horse enjoying the trees, the wind, the sun, the birds, and the shade. For me, it’s water that captivates me. Just being by the lake right now is so incredibly soothing and calming. The color, the sound, the waves…I love it all. What aspect of nature are you drawn to the most? For some people it’s the mountains. For others its seeing the trees on a beautiful fall day. Once you know what you’re most drawn to, go and seek it out! Now I know what you’re thinking: if you’re really into mountains and you live in Colorado that’s a bit easier than if you are here in Chicago, like me. But there are so many ways to incorporate this healing power into your life. Use a beautiful scenic picture of your favorite mountain range as your desktop on your office computer. Download one of the hundreds of water podcasts and listen to it every day on your way to and from work. Take the time to visit the places that bring you the most peace; Lake Michigan isn’t as fantastic as an ocean, but it certainly works! Now that the weather is getting nicer, make it a priority to appreciate the beauty around you. Because when we stop to appreciate the beauty around us, we also have a greater appreciation for the beauty within us.