I grew up in a 1950s suburban neighborhood in Riverside, RI where the houses were pretty much cheek by jowl next to each other. Fortunately, my parents were one of the first to get dibs on the lots, and they chose the one that was situated at the end of our dead-end road and which bordered hundreds of acres of woodland owned by the Secony Oil Company. Even though it was my dream to live on a farm, I at least had those woodlands to roam in as I was growing up. I was always a kid that needed to explore nature, to climb trees, to learn about the animals, insects, plants, to follow animal tracks in the snow, to wonder at the wonder of it all. That has never changed for me to this day. I NEED nature to feel whole, to be at peace, to thrive in this fast paced world.
Unfortunately, so many people have forgotten that they are part of nature and without feeling that connection to the whole they have lost their anchor. They are depressed, stressed, unfulfilled, unhealthy and have no idea why, as they are making money and living what seems like “the life”. Do you take the time to walk in a park, take a hike, go on a camping trip, or just sit and listen to the birds sing? Do you take time to smell the clean air after it rains, smell the flowers, marvel at the beauty of a sunset, bathe in the light of a full moon? Or are you too busy on the computer or watching TV or absorbed in work?
Many years ago, I had a vision of how I could help people reconnect with nature so they might heal their spirit and in doing so heal their bodies and minds as well. I would have a retreat center where I would hold workshops and the name of the center would be, Earth-Space: Center for Healing Through Oneness with Nature. One step towards fulfilling that vision, was my month-long training to become a Vision Quest guide, another was training with Joanna Macy in the “Work That Reconnects” and yet another was acquiring this land we live on which borders the National Forest and is wild and remote.
I remember one morning, soon after we moved in, standing at the height of our land, gazing at the snow-capped peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, listening to a Red Tail Hawk calling, as it circled overhead, in the distance a bull Elk was bugeling his mating call and just over the ridge the wolves at the nearby wolf sanctuary were singing. I was in heaven listening to those three wild voices and my soul was at peace.
When was the last time you took the time to experience nature? Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to reconnect?
Until next time….be fearless!
Terra Lyn Joy 