How Quickly We Forget...

 

 Only two weeks ago, I wrote about enjoying the wilderness experience, and taking time to appreciate the little things.  But then the inevitable happened.   Life.  And all it's responsibilities. Things to do, places to go, people to see and all that. And I forgot all about Bushcraft Girl.  I set her aside to attend to grown-up matters.  It happens to all of us at some point. We get lost in the mad rush. But sometimes, when we least expect it, nature gives us a little nudge to remind us of what we are missing.

After a busy day at work, I went out to tend to some long-neglected yard work. As I assessed the task at hand, I became aware of something wonderful.  Nature had taken an area of my property that had been cleaned out last year, and turned it into a beautiful wildflower meadow.  I went to take a closer look (I did mention I get distracted by flowers and butterflies and such, right?) and found it was absolutely full of life.  Bees, dragonflies, and even a hummingbird moth floated through the flowers, gathering food. It was simply too much for the girl in me to resist. Away went the lawn mower, and out came the camera.  I spent over an hour lost in that meadow. Observing, photographing, but most importantly, slowing down and reconnecting with the world around me. 

 

When reality eventually called me back, I felt relaxed and recharged. There was still an evening of work in front of my computer to tackle, but it was no longer overwhelming.  Just simply...there. Part of life, but not all of it. Even a little quality time in a natural environment can create a sense of balance, and do wonders for your soul.

We all look forward to our next camp. An escape to the sanctuary of the wilderness. Often these trips cannot be as frequent as we would like because work, raising kids, or managing a home require our attention. That's reality.  But we can still get away, if only for a little while. We can recharge with a walk in the woods, by watching a sunset, or by observing life in the wildflowers.  Even the stress of a busy day in the city can be eased by enjoying lunch under a tree instead of inside a busy restaurant. We can't always find a weekend to escape.  But we can always find a moment to Smooth It.

 

Just like this grasshopper....

BG