Connecting with Mother Earth

Is there anything more lovely, than being able to take in natural beauty that mother earth offers? Nature is so beautiful! The way it speaks out in a warm summers day. The brightness of the sun compared with the coolness of the sky. I find peace and solace whenever I am outdoors. It feels like being connected to the earth, and my breath is always taken away by the beauty of it all. I have to say that ever since the pandemic arrived, and disrupted everything, i never got the chance to really appreciate it all . With coronavirus and all, it feels as if we’ve been trapped indoors for far too long. Not recentely did I start going out more to the nature preserves and taking more pictures of trees, clouds, and more since I love taking pictures of nature. Since it is summer, and the quarantine restrictions were uplifted, I said what the heck? For me, being outdoors fills my body with peace and hope. Like my spirits lift when I feel the fresh coolness of the afternoon wind. It makes me feel alive as I am connecting with Mama Earth. Further being outdoors is highly benefical for humankind! In fact, there’s lots of evidence that suggests that being outdoors is highly influential on increasing mental wellness—another good reason to love nature!! It’s so important to take that into consideration, our own mental wellbeing especially in times like these. I know that my mental health declined a little bit during the pandemic, but since summer has arrived, I discovered how to cope with the overwhelming emotions that I feel at times. Being out and about. One of the pictures i decided to use was when i went to the chicago botanic garden last year with a close friend of mine. This was prior to the pandemic but nevertheless I was captivated by what I saw. How do I describe the Chicago botanic garden? It’s a nature preserve gardens located in the suburbs of Chicago. When I went there for the first time, I was deeply in awe of how majestic it was being there. Seeing all the different types of flowers, all the different exhibits evoked different types of emotions. Emotions such as contentment, joy, and love consumed me as I was walking down the pathway seeing lilies, tulips and roses in every which way. That first shot made me truly appreciate what mama earth offers, and it allowed me to reflect on how many things I have taken for granted. I enjoyed the scenery so much that I decided to take a snapshot of it. I liked the lake, and the reflection of the lake in contrast with the sharp, vivid green grass. I remember walking in that Chicago botanic garden, it made me feel hopeful. And hope is something we all need, especially in these trying times. It’s normal to feel hopeless in times like these, and I know I have. But I feel like all hope is not lost and it shouldn’t be lost. To me, being out there is fully processing what it means to be living in this time, but bringing in and thinking of all the positives that we can think of, of being truly present in the current moment which is seeing these tiny miracles happening in front of us. I believe that we get to see miracles happening in front of our eyes every single day, but because we have become so used to it, that it just feels mundane. Imagine a world where there was no nature to appreciate for its beauty, what a world that would be? That’s why I like thinking of how nature brings in miracles. Think about how seasons change, and how quickly they come and go. But since we live in such a fast paced environment, ready to get the next list in our tasks be completed, that we forget to be appreciative what’s right there in front of our eyes. The natural beauty bringing in peace, and hope.

The second picture is the one I recently took. This was taken in the nature preserves in Illinois. I enjoy being in the preserves because it gives me the opportunity to take snapshots of clouds, birds, trees and the like. I find my own miracles whenever i go on preserves. The other day i saw a deer closely, and i thought to myself, "Wow, it's so wild that i don't take the opportunity to really notice and be present with the surroundings". Keeping in mind, I've seen deer plenty of times, but because I took the opportunity to be really mindful, it was super enlightening to be present in that space as I saw the deer chewing on leaves. This picture was taken on a different day though, I had not seen a deer that time. However, when i look at this picture, one word to describe that picture would happen to be contentment. I feel a sense of calmness whenever I see the water. That is precisely why i took that shot, it's a soothing calm. The clouds also capture my attention it’s as if i can imagine myself laying on that big poofy clouds. Sometimes whenever I am struggling with any of my life’s problems, I imagine just that. Yes, the pictures may or may not seem mundane, but I love the simplicity of it. In fact the more simplier the better. There’s natural art out there in the world!. Every time I witness something beautiful in nature, I think to myself “I should be grateful that I get to see these moments, they may seem oridanry, but I find that one can find extraordinary in the ordinary” by default. Someone once said, explore things like you were a child, or someone visiting earth for the first time. Notice how that will awaken the inner curiosity in your soul. That stuck with me because i see it as such. That's why i try to see things from that perspective, that there are little tiny miracles occurring in front of my eyes and for that I appreciate for being alive in this space despite everything going on. And to that i owe it to the influence that nature has whenever i go on my hikes. Try to see the miracles even in the mundane!