Posted on April 19,2023

To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.

-Mary Davis

I’m a firm believer in the importance of finding out what nourishes your soul then doing it often. What form that takes can be many things for many people, but for me, a walk in nature is at the top of the list. Although I greatly admire grand views of mountains and waterfalls, there’s something that draws me to the much smaller sprinkles of beauty. I can be absolutely delighted by a stroll in my neighborhood, noticing trees with tiny leaves sprouting in springtime or the delicate petals of wildflowers. Such fragile, ephemeral beauty deserves to be noticed and savored.

In addition to these I also enjoy the gentle sound of water flowing over rocks in a stream, the kind of sound that you can only hear if you are standing very close and paying attention. There’s beauty in the movement of water, in its slow pace that seems to invite us to slow down as well. As I stand there listening, I notice what is growing along the bank: ferns, moss, violets and the cutest little leaves I’ve ever seen.

Many of these sprinkles are seen through dappled sunlight, which at it’s best, is shifting to the whims of a breeze. The soft play of light first highlights then shadows everything it touches, as if playing hide and seek. When a larger shadow appears I turn my head, wondering if it was caused by a bird, butterfly or falling leaf.

At times it is birdsong that holds my attention. The sound is so close, my eyes scan the trees to see who is singing such a lovely song. I stand very still, not wanting to startle them and interrupt the music.

The beauty of this world is always present, but all too often, we are not.

-Trudi Jane