When the powers of nature are the focus of your awareness and your thoughts, you come near to spirit, near to the source of all life. This is why most people love to walk in the woods or by the sea: they come close to the original source, and it is healing just to be in its presence. It cleanses you, brings peace of mind, touches your heart and brings you home to your soul.
~ Chris Lüttichau
(Calling Us Home)
The weather report was calling for heavy rain all day on the winter solstice, so my son Nate, his nephews Julius and Dominic, and I decided to go for a long walk in the woods the day before it. It felt so healing to be outside in the fresh air!
We are very fortunate to have this coastal reserve in our town. The scenery is always lovely, but I especially love the light of winter. It’s been so long since I’ve taken pictures with my Canon, so I grabbed it on my way out the door. To my dismay, I discovered later that the battery in it was dead and the spare was dead as well. So I made do with my cell phone. Of course, as soon as I got home I charged both batteries. 🙂
Hi Barbara. There are theories about ‘forest bathing’ which speak to our need to be in the out-of-doors! I miss my days of unconditional wandering in the wood ( due to my knees) ….
Hi Jane, it’s true, being out in the woods does feel like a cleansing ‘bath’ for mind and body. Sorry about your knees. I miss walking with Tim ~ with him it’s due to his hips…
He has my empathy … I solve this somewhat by having seats along the way.
We’ve thought of getting him one of those portable seats we see people carrying to outdoor events…
Sounds like a lovely day!
It was! (But the boys are still hoping for snow ~ they don’t get any in Georgia!)
What a lovely post! The pictures just transfer peace – and I fully agree that being in the nature and focusing our attention to what we see, hear and smell is healing. I wish you and yours a happy and healthy 2019.
Thank you, Tiny! 🙂 And Happy New Year! We had family here for two weeks and the two long walks we took are my favorite memories. It’s fun seeing the woods from the children’s perspective and a couple of them got wet poking around on the ice… 🙂