There’s a dialogue in my head all day long. It doesn’t stop unless I press pause with great intentionality. Some days it is a relentless processing of what I said or did that I wish I’d handled differently. Sometimes it’s a future state that I fear will become a reality. Other days it’s a list of all the things I need to remember, the to-do’s I’m juggling, the list I can never fully complete.

Being in natures snaps me out of this whirlwind of thought with great consistency. It is the quiet that I crave – not just around me but inside of me.

But why?

Nature calls us out to see the beauty, bounty and variety around us. It is astounding to see the intricate workings of a collaborative experience – as well as the unique evolution of each a species, a fungus, a moss to name a few.

It is here we stand with mouths gaping wide.

It is here we remember we are one of many.

Here we are reminded that we are not the center of the universe. That there is a collective heartbeat to the earth, the galaxy, the universe. We are so so small.

It is here that we can find our place – with thankfulness. And we are invited to honor the collective sacred that lives in and all around us.