Touching Trees
I’ve recently been spending time in Philadelphia, where I did not realize I was going to find my reconnection to nature. Not only did I get to travel down a mountain and through the woods to arrive to Main Street, but all the highways are just... surrounded by forests.
Down to Main Street
Source Sophia Whitsett
I am from Indiana, not a famously green state but definitely known for its empty space. However, I was lucky enough to grow up in the woods. I grew up surrounded by five acres of greenery, and looking back, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend my childhood. I didn’t realize how rare this was, especially since I have spent the second half of my life in metropolitan areas.
Trees shaped me and the way I react to an environment. This is a really ironic thing to realize about yourself while spending the last five years in various cities. I suppose I take the phrase “reconnecting to nature” extremely literally, but that doesn’t mean you have to.
For me, touching trees reminds me of my childhood. It takes me back to the times when life felt a little slower and simpler. Days of riding my bike to my friends house and walking to my grandparents' house for a slow cooked meal. Tress remind me of home. When finding this feeling, doing something like coming back to New York City becomes that much more exciting. You get to see the city with fresh eyes again, the eyes of your childhood self.
Trees in Greenwich Village
Source Sophia Whitsett
Find something that reminds you of a feeling of peace. Find something that reminds yourself of a fond time in your life, a time where you were dreaming of living the life that you do now.
Novelty is important, and while it comes naturally when you have new starts, you can experience this feeling of novelty every day. Every morning is a new day, a new opportunity for experience, gratitude, and personal growth.
What is one thing that brings you back to yourself? Leave a comment below!