I was out for a sunset hike this evening, walking through one of my favorite wooded spots, when I heard something marvelous: the trilling sound of frogs singing their little hearts out.
I stood there, taking it all in: the frog symphony, the birds twittering before bed, the sound of branches creaking in the breeze, the rosy-orange light dipping behind the hillside.
In that moment, I didn’t want anything I didn’t already have.
I wasn’t thinking about yesterday or worrying about tomorrow.
I felt grounded in my body and right with the world.
Going outside, for me, is a surefire way of feeling more at peace, no matter if deadlines are looming, dinner’s not made, and laundry needs doing.
We all need these ports in the storm, but we don’t come with an owner’s manual–we must discover what our unique havens look and feel like for us.
Too often, we wait until we’re depleted and hanging by a thread, and then we reach for the nearest thing to help us check out: Netflix, another beer, or scrolling through our Facebook feed.
While there’s nothing wrong, necessarily, with any of these pursuits, rarely do they leave us feeling truly nourished. We might get a respite from our worries, but there’s often a nagging sensation that problems are merely lurking at the margins.
While I love me some Netflix, being in nature is different. Rather than helping me check out, it invites me to check in–with how I’m feeling, with my state of mind, with my body.
In this place, when all of my parts feel acknowledged, they start to release their attachments, tensions, and story lines. No longer clamoring for my attention, they relax into what I can best describe as a “dynamic stillness.”
And in this state of being, while the externals of my life might be the same, I’m able to see new options and creative solutions, or simply be at ease with leaving things be.
What’s your frog song?
What’s the thing that helps you drop into who you are and feel at peace, even if only for a minute or three?
Don’t wait until crap hits the fan. Make time for your frog song today.