A walk in the woods…,nature calls.

It is that time of the year when trees are shedding their leaves, days become shorter and dark, the sky is easily grey and the sun becomes a visitor on few days. Hello Autumn! If you’re like me who was born in one of the countries with warm temperature, you’ll know that the change in seasons especially to the cold ones doesn’t easily appeal to me; and I could be the worse person to be around when it’s cold. I mean, the logic thing to do when we miss the sunshine and get further into Autumn, is to curl up indoors with a book and cup of tea. Ideal, yeah? But what is the point living in a country with four seasons without experiencing them? It’s like not knowing what your front door looks like. Except that seasons are natural and nature itself cannot be ignored, even if we try.

“We often forget that we are nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say we have lost connection with nature, we have lost connection with ourselves.” Andy Goldsworthy.

As the tree bares itself, it could easily be attributed to the lack of permanence in things and this could be a depressing time for some people, including me. But one thing I like to do is to look at it as a “temporal dryness” in whatever situation we are in. And just like nature, (as we are are all connected to it) “we are only seeds, planted and watered; we grow, we bloom and we die. If we keep in mind that nothing lasts forever, we would not place value in things, but rather in loving people intentionally, as that is what we are called to do. But then again, it teaches us to trust the process in life and acknowledge that even our lives, temporarily here on earth, is to be lived and enjoyed consciously. And while we experience all these metamorphosis of life, we are connected to a gift that shows us that we are not alone. Nature is always with us.

“All the trees are losing their leaves and not one of them is worried.” Donald Miller.”

We spend too much time lamenting rather than enjoying the joy nature brings through each season. Apart from all the fascination there is to it, it shows up in very little ways, every single day of our lives; in the air we breathe, the sun, the rain and the earth underneath our feet. Nature is always there. But we become aware of it when we experience it intentionally, by being mindful of every sensation it brings and the gains in between. For example, feeling the cold breeze on your face, the sun on your skin, taking notes of the dying green leaves that’s turned yellowish/brown, enjoying the coziness of snuggling by the fireplace, the smell of burning wood and coal and tasting every single bite of a warm meal.

“A walk in nature, walks the soul back home.” Mary Davis.

As we experience the change in season, let us not forget to indulge in the little joy each moment brings. I leave you with a short poem I wrote two days ago, after taking a walk and bicycle ride in the woods. “Colour your grey days. Let the weight you carry FALL like the leaves shedding from trees. Share the warmth among others, and if you walk outside; you’ll see- Its not as cold as you imagine.” May our love bring warmth to others this season. Thank you for stopping by.

Love, Happyblacky, Xoxo