The Pearls of Life:
101 Simple Ways to Health and Happiness
Commune with Nature
The wisdom of Nature speaks to us
heart to heart, and Nature’s first language is beauty.
-
Tim McNulty
Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon? Did its
majesty and grandeur awe you as the unassuming ground in front of you
suddenly opened up as you approached the canyon?
Have you ever sat
by a creek and let the murmur of the stream carry your mind and soul
away to a different time and place?
Have you ever
looked at the flower of a dandelion, one of the weeds that Americans
spend millions of dollars on every year in an attempt to eradicate from
their lawns? Were you amazed by how such a seemingly simple flower could
be made of so many intricate, much smaller florets? Were you ever
fascinated by the puffy balls of white seeds that these florets turn
into? Did you ever pick one up and blow the feathery seeds to watch them
float in the air?
Even violent
storms and powerful earthquakes shake us with their awesome wonder,
reminding us of our place in the world.
Nature awes us. It
can soothe us. And beauty abounds in it. Repeatedly, we are able to
center ourselves and have better perspectives about our lives and the
world when we are exposed to nature.
Much scientific
research has confirmed that even brief exposure to nature may ease pain,
reduce stress, and speed healing.
And nature can be
found almost anywhere. It can be found in your planned and long-awaited
trips—not just in the destinations, but also outside your moving car or
airplane, and beyond the rails of the sailing ship.
It can be found in your everyday life, in the woods, rivers, and lakes,
and in parks, gardens, and flower boxes. It can be just outside your
windows. Wherever you are in the open, just look above you to see the
ever-changing sky.
You may notice weeds poking through cracks on sidewalks against all
odds. They may sport apparently inconspicuous stalks of green flowers
that are as intricate and spectacular under a magnifying glass as the
most prized flowers in an expensive flower shop. And when you take time
to examine the veins with the velvety green fuzz, you realize that the
plain leaves of these weeds are not so plain after all.
Moreover, you can
always look into the eyes—at the irises—of the person you love. You can
also do so with yours in the mirror. Look! Marvel at the ridges and
valleys and their varied colors, and realize how this constricting and
expanding circular band of natural creation lets the visual wonders of
the world into your soul.
- Go outside of
your dwelling as much as you can, especially when the weather is
comfortable:
Stroll in a park
or a garden. Bike on country lanes. Hike in the woods and the mountains.
Sit by a river or a lake. Feel the breeze on your skin. Feel the warmth
of the sun on your face. Listen to the rustle of the leaves in the
trees. And observe the changes in the sky.
- Maximize windows with views in your dwelling:
Studies have shown
that a window with a view to nature hastens healing in a hospital room.
Surely it also promotes well-being even when you are not ill.
- Bring nature
indoors with indoor plantings or fresh-cut flowers and plants.
- Place images of
nature—photography or paintings—on walls, counters, and desks:
Art pieces do not
have to be professionally made. Pictures of you, friends, or family in
natural settings will do.
- Use images of
nature as your computer screen saver.