As we have ventured out on our daily walks, surrounded by all this natural growth, we have been thinking about the ways in which we have grown over the last year. (Yes, it still feels like we have to frame our thinking with ‘the last year’ as a point reference). We have been thinking about what has brought us joy and what we would like to keep in our lives for the long term. We have been thinking about the things that have restored us when we needed it most. We have been thinking about what comes next. Have you been thinking about this too?
Though we have always been avid proponents of a long wander, we must admit that we did not appreciate just how powerful these meanderings could be when times got tough. Reflecting on this chapter now, what stands out the most is how often we have felt the need to be outside and, more specifically, somewhere green. Whether a garden, doing laps of the local park or having a chance to visit a new landscape further afield, being able to get some fresh air, allow our eyes to look at something other than the walls of our homes or the lights of our screens, has been something to cherish and look forward to. And it is what we want to hold on to most.
We are sure you have felt this urge to be closer to nature at some point over the last several months too. Watching the wind blow softly through the trees. Lying down on a patch of grass and feeling connected to the earth. Listening to the sounds of birds and other wildlife that occupy the space. Being in the presence of the simplicity of nature can allow us to find that simplicity within ourselves. And it helps us to remember that we, too, are part of a cycle, a bigger picture.
Growth is often thought of as the big leaps we make towards a particular goal. The visible evidence of a significant change. Perhaps growth is not so much about actively chasing, but rather in slowly moving in any direction in the best way we can, and then taking a moment to pause, reflect and reset. Then start all over again, just like in nature.
