Have you ever looked out into a starry night sky and wondered what else might be out there? Have you sat on a beach, watching the waves continuously ebb and flow, cascading across the beach. Have you stood in a forest, looking up to the tallest trees or out to the jagged rocks, knowing that this same sight has been viewed by people many generations before you?
Being in nature can be eye-opening if you allow it to be – if you really make an effort to truly be present, not just to snap the next photo to put on your Instagram feed.
Being in nature can put life into perspective. If you build your ego up too much, go out in nature to realize how small you really are. You are a tiny part of this present world, and in the grand history of the world (let alone the universe), you don’t even register on the radar. You are a spec of sand among many. Don’t build yourself up to be bigger, better, or more important than you actually are.
Being in nature can help you use your imagination. Next time you’re in the woods, imagine what it was like to live here 300 years ago. No cities existed (at least not like they do now). No farms were around. It was basically you, your tribesmen, animals, trees, and vegetation. Would you have been able to survive the harsh winters?
We live in a world today where everything the news reported is “catastrophized.” Bad events are happening all around us. But what doesn’t get emphasized enough is that this is the best time to be alive in all of mankind’s history. We live in a world today where, for most people living in the U.S., basic needs like having food, water, and shelter are met by nearly the entire population. We live in climate controlled conditions. We have more access to any information we want than at any point in history. Life is good! But just because we have access to this technology doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t go back to our roots every once in a while. Go out in nature and explore again. Remember what it’s like to be a kid! Put your life into perspective and use your imagination again.