Dr. Nature is "In"

 

   Recently I discovered research to support what my heart and body seemed to already know: that being outside is GOOD for you.

    When I think back to childhood, I think like many children I loved playing outside. As a child, and even as an adult, I enjoyed walks, beaches, camping, hiking and even backpacking. And at the same time I  became aware of those who were indifferent to the outdoors. 

   I do think after Covid, and after some "extremely bumpy" times in my family I somehow began to find myself outside in the early mornings, nursing my cup of coffee, just hanging with the birds. And if additional resources might be needed that morning- for instance: a down jacket or even a Petzl headlamp, I complied.

    I still haven't quite mustered the umbrella, yet.

    And it was when I started noticing how I felt when traveled or something else caused me to miss my outdoor morning ritual that I decided to do some investigating.

     Who knew that my outdoor craving significantly enhanced mental, emotional and physical well being? I wasn't aware that there is actually scientific evidence that nature heals.

     And don't even get me started on forest bathing!

    Yes, being outdoors lifts mood, reduces stress, has physical health benefits and even boosts creativity, but you know what?  I  just know that I intrinsically need it.

Coincidences

      My parent's families couldn't be more different. . . . my father's parents were both doctors and my mother's parents were academics. My mom's parents were very social and prominent in their community while my dad's parents kept a somewhat lower profile, and pretty much immersed themselves in the medical world.

   Yet, they both shared an amazing parallel. Both sets of parents had their adult children fall ill, and return to their home, and live with them. 

    Obviously, this is not what might fall under a "happy coincidence."

    But I can't help but wonder if they had compassion for each other? Each one dealing with their own individual set of impossible circumstances yet still managing to hold it all with grace. Each being faced with an unbearable task, yet quietly forging on.

   It's hard to know. I know there was a civility between the families. I also know my mother's parents weren't exactly feeling all the warm fuzzies towards my dad's parents, or even my dad for that matter.  Since my mother had fallen ill, and my father couldn't manage my mother and the four kids, he had fallen out of favor.  

And that's putting it mildly.

He was actually the reason she was back in her childhood home.

Were they aware of these commonalities?

Did they see them?

It's made me very open to so many different types of familial circumstances as an adult. It's also given me another lens to look through in parenting.

Mostly, it's given me empathy to other parents who are in similar situations.  

I know what they are going through.

** This post really resonated with me after the recent terrible tragedy in the Reiner family.