Stop, Look, Listen with Nature

Stop, look, listen with nature

Stop. Look. Listen. These were the watchwords my children learned at school about crossing the street. They're also good watchwords for reconnecting with nature.

As much fun as it can be to enjoy nature at one of the many beautiful local, state, or national parks in the country, reconnecting with nature isn't any further away than your own backyard. When is the last time you stopped to look and listen to the sights and sounds around you?

Recently, I took the time to sit in a chair on the deck behind my house. It was one of those teaser spring days. You know the type, warm sun, slight breeze, and shirtsleeves, but with freezing temperatures in the forecast.

As the sun shone down on my face, I closed my eyes and just listened. Really listened. After I trained my ears to hear beyond the airplanes and road traffic, I heard spring's first bird songs. I heard the hum of spring peepers (frogs). I heard the faint rustle of wind through creaking leafless branches. And, I felt less stressed.

When I opened my eyes, I took some deep breaths and looked around. I noticed that some of those birds I'd heard had turned a brilliant yellow. I saw that those spring peepers were sharing the remains of the winter's thaw with nesting ducks and turtles. I saw that what I assumed were bare branches really were full of buds waiting to burst. And, I felt less stressed.

Nature offers many gifts. Some small, some large, but all magnificent in their simplicity. It's that simplicity that we often overlook in our quest to "appreciate" nature.

Whether or city dweller or a country dweller, I challenge you to stop, look, and listen in your own backyard.

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