Here in my Sequoia Backyard, I am surrounded by nature, not unlike my backyard garden, but different. I find that being near growing things calms me. Feeling excited about the little cosmos that just sprouted, seeing a wildflower that surprised me, listening to the bird on the telephone wires above my backyard -- all these things bring me back to my center.
Sometimes I just close my eyes, and drink in the sounds, or stay very still and gaze at one particular little creature, or bloom. And then I take a deep breath. Filling my lungs with air, whether it's mountain air, or backyard atmosphere, inflates my spirit, and feeds my brain.
Slow down, Jill. Focus on the growing things. Be grateful.
The picture above is the view of Farewell Gap from Sequoia National Park. Can you hear the Kaweah River rushing through the Mineral King Valley, the Mineral King Valley carved by glaciers in the last Ice Age. Nature endures.
Take a deep breath. Then go outside and be grateful for the sights and sounds around you.
Nature heals.