Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.
- John Muir
Regardless of one’s religious background or belief system, one aspect of life that seems to be universal is the (often profound) feeling of spiritual connection that comes from being in nature. Many faith communities have recognized this special ability of nature to elicit feelings of spiritual awe, which is reflected in their teachings about the earth. Buddhism, for example, teaches the importance of living in harmony with nature and respecting all life. Christianity teaches that we must care for the environment not just for our own benefit but for God’s glory. Followers of Hinduism believe that nature is interconnected with life itself, as many rivers, mountains, and animals are regarded as sacred. For me, being in nature is about finding peace, practicing mindfulness, and learning resilience.
Nature is brutally unforgiving, and it loves to teach us about our vulnerability. The mountains remind us of our smallness; the loose rocks remind us of our fragility; the raging rivers remind us of our insignificance, as they threaten to sweep us away with one lick of their icy tongues.
But amidst those lessons, there are also moments of great triumph and awe. When the tiny tip of the furthest, snow-peaked mountain starts to peer out at you from behind the horizon you’ve been chasing for hours, you feel huge. The sharp wind at your cheeks and the aches in your feet after a long hike remind you that you accomplished something. That meager human that you thought you were just a second ago accomplished something, and that makes you feel larger than life.
I have always wondered why people climb mountains and willingly submit themselves to the brutality of nature, and maybe that is why. To momentarily escape from the feelings of smallness and insignificance that chase us throughout life. To look back on where we’ve come from and feel proud of how we made something that seemed impossible, very possible.
Climbing mountains is not for everyone, but at some point in our lives we will face challenges that are equally, if not more daunting than snowy peaks looking down on us. I climb mountains because it teaches me how to deal with the parts of existence that I cannot control, and that brings me peace. But you do not need a mountain or a pristine landscape to feel connected to the earth. If you take a moment to look, nature is actually all around, whether it be a park, a garden, or just a bee visiting a weed growing in the cracks of the sidewalk.
Immersion in nature allows me to clear the noise in my mind and fully appreciate the present moment. It teaches me to find comfort in the little things: the feeling of sun on my face, the freshness of the air, the warmth of huddling around a camp stove in the rain. In the city our lives move so fast, and it is so easy to get swept up in the inertia of daily routines and forget to take time to just be. Today, I sat in the sun for a moment and watched a pigeon saunter through the glistening snow and was reminded of how beautiful the world can be if you remember to look.
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