I cross a little bridge in my town several times a week during my usual daily activities. The bridge crosses a small tributary to the Duck River, one of our town's claims to fame as the most biodiverse river in the United States.
The stream under the bridge has a smooth shale bed with deep pools and slick rocks. Each time I cross, I slow down and scan the stream, looking for a particular sight: the Great Blue Heron that fishes the pools and ripples on the north side of the bridge.
The heron is there, more often than not, standing still in the water when it's blazing hot or freezing cold. Seeing the majestic bird lifts my spirits, reminding me that nature doesn't just surround me but that I am a part of it. I see that the heron remains no matter what occurs in my life or the world that particular day.
We are living in strange times. The richest man in the world bankrolled the campaign of America's first felon president and made a gesture reminiscent of German and Italian fascism on camera during the Inauguration. America just experienced its most expensive natural disaster in the Los Angeles wildfires. Advances in AI are exciting and concerning. Our modern world moves very fast, and our bodies and brains have difficulty keeping up.
In times of uncertainty, I've always found grounding and solace in nature. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, my daily walk took me past an enormous, old oak tree that our family playfully named The Whomping Willow because of its long, thick branches that looked like they could come alive and pummel a flying car (Harry Potter reference in case you feel lost).
When things felt bleak and heavy, I would rub my hands down the bark of that tree, thinking of all the things it had seen. Its size indicated it may have been growing during the last pandemic our country experienced nearly 100 years prior. This thought grounded me on the most challenging days.
My childhood home was surrounded by places that were a refuge to me. I spent my days by the large pond in the front yard and walking the streams that fed it. I spun circles in the grass until my world spun, and I fell to the ground laughing. I collected little purple flowers in my yard for miniature bouquets.
In college, I lived in an urban setting but still found nature to soothe me and put things in perspective at the city parks and botanical gardens.
Nature always gives us perspective and peace when everything feels unmoored. When we surround ourselves with forests, mountains, rivers, night skies, and fields, we find our place as tiny specks in the universe.
We have a long journey ahead. We will need our energy and tenacity for whatever comes next. Nature will be a faithful companion and a balm for weary souls, as it has been in all hard times past.
Spend time outside. Watch the birds. Plant a garden. Watch a sunrise or sunset. Notice the other creatures that share your space. Look for the herons in your streams and give gratitude to the world that will be here for us, no matter what tomorrow brings.
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