My son had his last day of school for the holiday break on December 13th. I was so excited for our couple weeks together and couldn’t wait to spend time with him, head out on adventures, decorate the house and, of course, make cookies.

We made it through the weekend. The two weeks speed by; we spent many days baking cookies, playing outside, I worked while he played at his Nana’s and then yesterday was his first day back at school.

I was as excited to send him back to his friends and his beloved teachers as I was to spend special time with him.

He was too.

When we arrived at school (after much fuss), he ran down the pathway, into his classroom and out the door to the beautiful nature playground where his friends were. Their first activity is to take a walk to Grandfather Tree. The snow remaining from our post-Christmas storm still adorned the play area and trails. He was ready in his snowsuit to follow the creativity of his heart.

I was left at the door without someone to nag, tend to, feed, or occupy.

It only took a moment for me to realize that I could use this time for me.

And so I went to nature, listening to the birds and feeling the wind on my face; experiencing the snow as it crunched beneath my feet and the leaves as they danced in the wind. The sky was a beautiful deep blue and last night, the stars were crystal clear.

My heart got to take a rest from the constant work of caring for another and I was able to spend time caring for myself.

This is why I advocate for time in nature. Each of us needs a break from the hustle and bustle of life and in nature it is possible to find solace and to rekindle the passions of our being.

I have abandoned making New Year Resolutions, instead I commit to following my heart into nature where I can find inner comfort and contentment.

Children need this too. I bet my son’s enthusiasm for running to school was partially fueled by the excitement and peacefulness he could experience playing beneath Grandfather Tree. As a mother, I am so grateful to the teachers who allow him to play naturally and experience the elements. This really is the foundation of all his learning experiences and for his personal ability to take care of and tend to himself.

How are you easing the transition back into life for yourself and your family? Is nature involved?

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

3 Responses to “Finding Solace in Nature”