NURTURE NATURE

What better way to celebrate Earth Day than bringing an end to a two day camping adventure. The Hubs and I loaded up Monday afternoon and headed to Lake Ouachita for campfires, veggie dogs, and good times with good friends. I had not realized how much I was missing good ole Mother Nature until we arrived at our campsite and attempted to ahem, pitch a tent. Save the thick yellow film of pollen everywhere, the setting was beautiful and serene. Trees as far as you could see in every direction, calm and immaculately clear Lake Ouachita at our fingertips, and more sunshine than should be humanly possible to soak up in one day, in a word, Nature.

I know what you are thinking, mostly because I heard it from all the ladies in my life, "You are camping? You like camping?" Yes and Yes, even the girliest of girly girls can appreciate the Great Outdoors. Now, I am more appreciative when an indoor restroom is available, but still, Nature is Nurturing, plain and simple.

The best part of our adventure was driving the Hubs crazy by my need to be uber prepared for the occasion. "Just roll with it" he kept telling me. So we rolled right onto our campsite, rolled out the tent bag, rolled out the gear, began setting up shop, and after a few minutes of rolling with it we realized there was no tent in the bag, just the tent cover. Needless to say, we all got a deep belly laugh out of that one. Not to worry, we were able to keep 'rolling with it' and slept in the back of my car.

Oh, I take that back, the best part was a solo hike on the Nature Trail which led me to what felt like a private beach on the ocean. Listening to the waves crash against the shore, the wind blowing through the trees, and gazing at newly bloomed dogwoods which possess an exotic beauty, their white flowers out of place yet oddly fitting against a sea of green trees, I was suddenly compelled to bow. Momma Jane's yogic instructions fill my mind and body, "Mountain pose, Arms high to the Heavens, Swan dive to the Earth, feel your feet firmly planted in the earth." I repeated these motions until I realized I was on a slight hill and it may not be the safest place to practice. I yearned to find a flat patch of dirt and provide Sun Salutes to Mother Nature, but alas I had to head back to camp.

It was a much needed reconnection to Nature. I will no longer go years before venturing to the Great Outdoors for camping. It is necessary for me to be reminded of the overpowering beauty of Nature and why I should be more and more aware of my impact on this Earth. It is humbling to feel my smallness amongst a vast Earth and yet also empowering to feel that every small step on this vast Earth matters.

If you can find a moment, step outside on your deck, hike a nature trail, meditate, journal, read. If you can find a series of available moments, drive to your nearest campground and sleep in a tent, er, car, either way, let Nature Nurture you, your mind, body, and soul. Quietly reconnect to the Earth. I hope you find it as healing as I did.

Happy Earth Day and Namaste.