July 7, 2023
“I go to nature to be soothed, healed and have my senses put in order.”
– John Burroughs
As adults we often find ourselves more separated from the natural world than we were as children, when many of us spent our entire days outside in the sun surrounded by the beauty of nature. Younger generations never had such joy because they were tied to video games and computers and suffered what author Richard Louv called “The nature-deficit disorder.” Our high-tech society has forgotten the transformative and restorative power of nature that comes from being out in the fresh air, under blue skies, walking beside a gurgling stream, kneeling in the dirt of our flower and vegetable gardens…there is no greater joy.
Nature is also a healing power for those who are grieving. Psychologists Rachel and Steve Kaplan have written about “restorative environments” for those who have lost someone. They restore us without our even making an effort. They offer a temporary respite from suffering and remind us of greater natural truths.
Walking in the woods also removes us from the familiar environments at work or home, which are associated with our stress and grief. The sound of songbirds, the busyness of woodland creatures, the symphony of trees, clouds, streams, hills and valleys. There is no better place to go when you feel that your world is falling apart. Then, the natural world will start to heal you again.
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Walk outside whenever you can and find peace in the natural world.
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