I enjoyed the last Ladies of Hive contest so much, I figured I’d try another. Here's this week’s question:
What was the best thing about the place where you grew up?
Nature is my Soulmate
Since I was a child, nature has been my saviour, my friend, and my purpose.
I was born and raised in Colorado, until age 11, when my family relocated to the suburbs of Chicago. The absolute best thing about living in Colorado was my deep love of nature that came from having the chance to spend time in lots of parks and taking road trips into the mountains.
The mountains are in my blood. They were the highlight of my youth.
Camping trips, sleeping by rivers, hiking, exploring ski resorts…
I have so many memories of sitting in the backseat of my parents’ car, listening to music, imagining I was flying along next to the road, over the mountains.
When I think of mountains, it makes my soul soar. It really does. It’s like I’m dancing inside, even when I’m sitting still.
Growing up as an only child, nature was the thing that made me feel like life was worth living. Truly. It motivated me, inspired me, and nurtured me.
When I moved to the midwest, it was like part of me was missing. Years later, I left the country to return to mountains, this time to the wilds of British Columbia, Canada, where I still live, surrounded by nature.
I’m grateful that I have so many memories of my childhood, where rushing rivers, Rocky Mountains, endless trails and whispering trees helped me understand what it is to be human, and what a gift we have to live our lives on this beautiful planet.
Nature is healing.
No matter where I am, when I'm around mountains, I feel as if I'm home.
When the world seems to be falling apart, I go outside and hang out with the trees. They teach me stillness, and patience. They remind me to breathe and bask in the sun, or let the quiet of nighttime cocoon me in sanctuary.
Spending time barefoot in a creek, or on the grass, grounds me. I listen to water flowing, and my worries fade away.
The mountains taught me to find wonder in nature, and have fed me such joy my entire life. As I hike, I sing to the forest and talk to the trees. I don't really care if anyone hears me, whether they think I'm a Disney princess or rather weird, it doesn't matter. Because I know nature hears me. Often, the birds sing back.
Nature brings me joy, so I reflect that back to my surroundings, whether I'm surrounded by trees, or around other people. And that's the gift, to me, this optimistic sense of gratitude.
Growing up with nature gave me a perspective that the world is sacred, and beautiful, and that everything and everyone is interconnected.
If you'd like to participate in this thoughtful writing prompt, check out this week's Ladies of Hive Contest. There are two questions to choose from. I'll answer the second as a bonus:
What are your three favorite smells?
- A freshly-rained-on forest.
- Sun-baked pine needles. This smell always reminds me of hiking in Colorado when I was a kid.
- Fresh rosemary.
Thanks for reading!
Peace @Katrina-Ariel / @LeiaTalon
All photos mine.
