Imagine a craving. Imagine wanting a juicy Whataburger with fries and their ketchup. Imagine wanting the perfect kale salad with nuts and cranberries. Imagine a cosmic brownie or your grandmas best snicker doodles. Imagine Hyderabad's best biryani or your mom's pancit. Imagine craving a nap or watching your favorite show or listening to your favorite song. Whatever kind of craving you ever have, crave it right now. Right now. Do it. And then...imagine you just got what you want.
That's what being in nature is like for me. A breath of relief. Satisfaction. But it's different. Because instead of being able to give myself nature, I have to let it give itself to me. I have to let the gentle flow of the creek heal my soul. I have to let the leaves dry my tears. I have to let go of myself, remember I'm small and just breathe. Breathe with my diaphragm. Breathe with my soul. Breathe away from the cars and rent and bad grades. Sound kinda boho-hippy-hipster to you? This is what it's like to be a naturalist.
Ok, maybe it's not exactly like this for every naturalist. But I have a need to experience God in nature. It's how he made me. And I'm glad to know it. Nature including anything from the beach to forests to mountains to rivers and rocks and sand and dirt and rain and wind and cold and hot and green and leaves. Forests with the most beautiful grassy floors. Waterfalls big and small. Mud, the kind you lose weak shoes in. Scratches and falling and climbing up unexpected things and always learning something new and being in awe. This is what helps heal me.
I just wanted to give you a tiny little portrait on what being a naturalist fronts as. But...it can speak for itself. And I promise you, it has a lot more to say than you can imagine.
