5.17.21
In my opinion, there’s no better way to spend a Monday evening, or any evening, than meandering in the Forest. That’s what I did last night. I’ve been walking the trails of my 100 Acre Wood weekly for nearly 4 years and recently decided more time in the Forest would benefit me. So in addition to my Sunday mornings, over the past couple months I’ve spent most of my Saturday evenings there, and have been squeezing in a weekday evening or two whenever I can.
I do this because I’ve learned that spending time doing the things that bring us joy is one of the most valuable things we can do to improve our lives at every level – emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. Choosing to make Forest Therapy a high priority and allowing myself to actually follow through on that choice has not been easy. In spite of what we see in mainstream media, our culture does not place a high value on fun, joy, magic, or wonder, at least not for adults. That’s changing but until a large scale switch happens, it’s up to each of us to take charge of our own self-care, however that looks for us.
In this oppressive culture that tells us to be productive until we drop dead and work through the pain, it is truly brave to put ourselves first, to make fun and joy a top priority. It is truly a revolutionary act, part of empowering ourselves to build lives we love and want to live. This is how each of us can change the world – by finding out what brings us joy and doing it.
Even the smallest of us can make these brave decisions and join the Joy Revolution. Last night a Cottontail Rabbit gave me a glimpse of bravery in a small package. They are one of the most skittish animals in the Forest, bolting at the slightest movement or puff of air. But this one did not seem concerned about me, allowing me to breach what I’ve noticed is the normal Safety Zone for Rabbits. It munched casually on grass while I watched and after a few moments I began deliberately, slowly, testing that Safety Zone. I was quite surprised how close it allowed me to get! Even when it decided close was close enough, it didn’t go far away, until I really pushed the limits. Such bravery from a Very Small Animal!
These encounters are Magic to me. They fill me with Joy and Wonder, reminding me those qualities still exist in this crazy mixed up world. They are why I walk the trails as often as I can. What brings you Joy? What fills you with Wonder? Have you done it lately? If not, why not? I encourage you to make the Brave Choice – make your own happiness your top priority. It can be scary to make that choice, but I’m here to tell you it’s worth it every single time. It’s what will make our world a better place to live. And if you don’t know how to start, I’d be honored to be your Transformational Trail Guide.
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