This is a guest post written by Neil Humphrey
While taking a walk in the park this morning, it dawned on me that nature is the purest form of self-expression. The trees, plants, flowers, and all forms of life outdoors never try to hide behind a mask. They simply are what they are—raw, naked, and unapologetic about their place in the world.
We humans are not that simple. We hide ourselves with clothes, material possessions, and social behaviors designed to help us fit in and be accepted by our peers.
A rock is a rock. It doesn’t change its shape or hardness for anyone.
A tree grows to its full capacity and branches out without asking permission.
A flower blossoms and shines in its own unique way—just as it’s supposed to.
We, as humans, can learn a lot about ourselves simply by spending more time in nature and being observant. Our counterparts in Mother Earth can teach us how to embrace our uniqueness and how being our true selves can be the light the world needs.
In this article I'd like to talk about a few things that nature can teach us.
Last week I went to my local municipal park to spend time with some friends.
It was slightly warm out, about 20 degrees, very little wind and clear blue skies.
As we sat around and talked, I couldn't help but notice everyone's mood. Children ran around happily, and most of the adults had a calm, pleasing look on their face.
You could argue that the look on their face had nothing to do with being in the heart of nature, but I believe it did.
Spending time in nature helps us detach from the everyday stresses of life like the morning commute, work politics, raising a family and worrying about our finances.
Being in nature helps us take in the natural surroundings by connecting ourselves with our primitive ways like wanting to feel the warmth of the sun, the connection with the grass and our bare feet, and desire to breathe clean oxygenated air from the trees.
Spending time in nature, even for just 15 minutes, helps us to destress and view life from a new perspective.
This was my take away from the weekend. Enlightening, and always refreshing.
What new things have you learned while spending time in nature's playground?