How to Fall in Love with Nature
When I was younger, my best friends were my books. I was a bookworm through and through, sincere in my dedication to literature. I would while away my days with my nose in a book, absolutely content exploring the magical world of Harry Potter or the deadly arenas of The Hunger Games. I was quiet, introverted and avoided outdoor excursions at all costs, so I made worlds of my mind the perfect getaway. While I dreamt and daydreamed of beautiful, mystical and mysterious places, I didn’t realize what I was looking for was all around me, if only I looked.
It was on our first family camping trip, when I was in my early teens, that I finally looked. Our first night, a chilly, slightly unnerving night, had started off roughly (we had one small tent for the six of us). It had been an exasperating day, to say the least, filled with hiking and outdoorsy activities. I had finally nestled in my spot in the tent (with a book, of course) when I was lured by my family’s excited chatter and coaxing whispers outside. Reluctantly, I joined them and demanded what all the fuss was about. My sister pointed up, beckoning me to look.
For a moment, I was captivated by the obscurity and darkness of the night sky. And then, I was blinded. Blinded by the vastness. Blinded by the beauty. Blinded by the infinite stars above me.Unsplash
That night, a young girl looked up, up, up into the starry night and felt those twinkling crystals light something up inside of her. She sensed the wind flow through her hair for the first time. She heard the music of the woods for the first time. She smelled the raw freshness of grass for the first time. And she realized, as she stood under a canvas of splattered dots, that her imagination had never been enough. Hypnotized and a bit alarmed, she looked on. Her book fell from her hand to the ground, forgotten.
The first step to falling in love with nature is letting go. That night, I let go of that book and with it, all the pent-up arrogance inside of my naïve little mind. Instead, I opened my hands to the wonders of the world.
For you, this might be in the form of a smartphone, laptop or other technology. It might be a job or something giving you unneeded stress. Let go of the device, the distress and the pain. Sometimes, you must disconnect to connect. Then, you can listen to the rustle of the leaves, the chirping of the birds and the gentle hum of a stream—the melodies that nature plays for those willing to listen. Dania Rashid
Start Small
Nature is literally endless. It’s everywhere, a constant presence by your side. We don’t call it the Great Outdoors for nothing. The minute you step outside, you are kissed by the sun’s rays, hugged by the wind, blanketed by the clouds and held by the grass. So, it doesn’t take much to reconnect with the natural world—it’s accessible to all.
Start by being present in the moment. About to head home after work? Take a second and feel the wind blow around you before getting into your car. Taking a bus to school? Look out the window and watch the trees soar away before you. Need a break? Take a walk around your neighbourhood and let nature’s medicine heal you.
I think falling in love with nature is like finding a new favourite Starbucks drink—you stumble upon it unexpectedly, but eventually, you can’t live a day without it.Dania Rashid
Immerse Yourself
From the tiny legs of an insect to the massive galaxies in outer space, our world is a masterpiece. It’s a portrait just waiting to be sketched. A photograph waiting to be taken. Nature is a master artist, painting the canvas of the world with a palette that changes with the seasons. Embrace the warm hues of autumn, the crisp coolness of winter, the rosy blossoms of spring and the sun burnt days of summer. Each season is a rhythm of nature’s eternal symphony, reminding us of the circle of life and the importance of embracing change.
Watch the way a single leaf moulds itself into life in the spring, thrives and blooms in the summer, transforms into a deep orange in the fall and descends to the ground in the winter. Observe how the sunlight dances on the water, on beat with the tide of the sea. Feel the first snowfall, fluffy like cotton, fading the Earth into a blank white canvas. Hear the birds chirping in those early May mornings, singing their sweet nothings in their assorted tunes. Dania Rashid
Slowly, one by one, these tiny, seemingly trivial observations pile up until they rekindle a sense of childlike wonder ingrained in us all. You’ll rediscover the awe that children often experience when encountering the world for the first time. You’ll revel in the simplicity of nature. Above all, in these moments of mindfulness, you’ll find a profound sense of peace.
Explore the Wilderness
A story isn’t a story without its characters. In nature’s story, it’s the wildlife. Understanding biodiversity, ecology and wildlife interactions adds layers to our experience of nature. The breathtaking diversity of the species on this planet is both staggering and inspiring. From the stealth of feline predators to the intricate mating dances of birds, wildlife behaviours are a testament to the wonders of nature. The relationships between different species and the dance of predator and prey contribute to the intricate web of life.Unsplash
I once took a class in wildlife conservation, and I always tell people that it changed my life. One of the topics we studied was the unusual number of wildebeests in the Serengeti. Wildebeests are a keystone species, one whose every action helps to keep the ecosystem of the Serengeti balanced and thriving. They’re like the heart of a body, providing blood to each organ to keep us moving. Isn’t it astonishing how impactful one species is to the Serengeti’s delicate balance of life? Understanding the importance of wildlife is a fundamental part of appreciating the natural world; it reminds us of all the different elements working together to keep us alive.Dania Rashid
Thus, living in a fast-paced world, where screens and schedules dominate our lives, sometimes it’s impossible to slow down and reconnect. Yet, amid the chaos and the hustle-and-bustle of our lives lies a remedy for our stressed souls—the enchanting embrace of nature.
There is a lot of beauty in the world, and a lot of it is one glance away. So I urge you to go outside and look.
To conclude, I shall quote one of my favourite poets, William Blake (because as it so happens, my bookworm self still lives within me). He writes, “The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing which stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity, and by these I shall not regulate my propositions. And some see no nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.”
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