I read recently that for good health and wellbeing one should take at least two hours a week to be in nature. I would suppose that can mean out in the woods, down by a river or creek, or even in one’s garden. 

     The trick is to find someplace that is quiet and that can be a bit of a challenge if you live in a big city. For us up here in the northern mountains and valleys it is much easier to spend time in solitude and the quietness of a natural surrounding. We are so very fortunate to have the natural world right outside our homes, towns, or small city limits. 

     But vastness is not needed to find a place of relaxation and solitude. Maybe it is not as quiet in small secret places but it can still meet the criteria of a nature setting that brings the benefits of good health and wellbeing. 

     I remember many years ago living in Laguna Beach. I found a spot in a small riparian area where I could disappear from the motion of the coast highway and the beaches. As far as I could tell, no one other than me ever snuck in there. I’d just sit there and listen to birds, watch the insects, and of course, contemplate my navel… ;o)

     It truly is those times spent in nature that rejuvenates our minds and bodies so don’t get so caught up in social media, jobs, and the rather odd happenings in this crazy time in the world that you don’t take the time for yourself and your companion(s) to gain so much from the natural world around us. 

     I often wonder if this is what is missing in the lives of those that attempt to rule us. Just a thought, you know…