Free-form Friday: Nature

I originally wanted Fridays to be about nature, exercise or the out of doors...but I couldn't think of a related "F" word to go with Friday. (Please write me a comment or send me an email if you come up with one! Email is BirchCenter@yahoo.com.)

I remember a long time ago, when I was a single woman living alone, I got to a point where I was almost too scared to leave the house. My cousin -- actually my mom's cousin's wife, but close enough -- who is a massage therapist in Maine asked me if I was watching any television in general. She told me to keep the TV off and get out in nature (she was taking a course on Bach Flower Remedies, and that was stressed in the course.) She was so right: television feeds fear, and nature takes fear away.

Last night I was listening to Mary Lynch of energy mirrors give a lecture, and she was also stressing to get out in nature. She said that nature pulls the pollution from our cells. The pollution can be environmental, emotional, from thoughts, feelings, whatever, but nature actually draws it out of us. She urged us to get out in nature and really be aware (with a quiet mind.) And also to play.

Today we went for a walk in the woods of Frick Park. Down wooden steps, over a bridge over a creek (we stopped to play Poohsticks!) through the dog play area, winding down and up a path and up some stone steps. We enjoyed the cold, the muddiness, the smells. I purposely did not bring my camera, but I wish I had because on the way back we came upon this amazing tree growing on a rock hill with enormous thick reptilian-looking roots snaking over the rocks. The were glistening with moisture and striped with mossy green and literally looked like huge boa constrictors, one even looked like it could have been an alligator.

I may try and get back tomorrow to snap that picture.

But we were out there for hours, and -- as I always do when I go out in the woods -- I feel so much better.

~ Melissa