Returning to Truth

Nature can help us to return to what's real and true when it seems like the world is spinning out of control.

It seems like it’s difficult to know what’s real and true anymore. Time can slip away so quickly when your attention is trapped by devices.

It’s as if you get caught up in a whole other world than the one you’re physically in. And you re-enter your physical reality hours later. It’s easy to lose presence and a sense of self.

An oak tree provides a steady presence as it’s moss-laden bark catches the late afternoon sun’s rays.

Nature reminds us of what’s real and true. The wind whipping through our hair or blowing softly against our skin or the warmth of the sun as we step outside. Or even the sound of rain pelting against a roof, bringing the promise of new growth and new beginnings.

Weather isn’t something to be endured. It’s something to be witnessed and experienced. It’s temporary, sometimes lasting more than we’d like, at other times not staying as long as we’d like. But it does hold truths. The weather reminds us that things can change in one day, even from hour to hour. It reminds us of the need to be present, to pay attention. Nature reminds us that sometimes all we have is one moment to take a chance, to say a kind word, to be brave, to be gentle. We can’t always know what will happen from moment to moment or day-to-day. We may be caught unaware by a flash storm; sometimes we are given warnings that we may not pay attention to; other times, storms arrive without warning. We can always be prepared for each change that comes our way, but we can learn to respond differently, so that challenging situations don’t seem to last as long as they once did, and we are able to let them go the way a strong steady wind keeps clouds moving, only momentarily blocking out the sun.

Nature doesn’t have goals or ulterior motives. It simply is. A tree’s only agenda is to live and grow. Other plants only seek to bloom. And in doing so, they imbue the world with beauty. They provide shelter and nourishment for other beings of all shapes and sizes. The tree doesn’t wish the wind would stop blowing. Instead, it dances with the wind, letting its branches sway. The tree knows that the company of the wind is temporary. A tree will generously share the safety of its branches with birds and other creatures; and the canopy is made all the richer for the birdsong that wafts from the branches.

Nature also reminds us that we don’t need to perform. We can simply be in nature without having to worry about winning approval or worth. You can take off your mask in nature without the fear of being rejected. You can be free to be yourself, without any pressure. And the quieter you are in nature, the more clearly you may be able to hear the truths of nature, and your own truths. The space doesn’t need to be filled with words because it is already filled with so much life. The earth will still hold you as you walk along your path, even when you feel as though you’re lost. A tree will let you rest against it when you’re weary, or when you’re seeking shelter. The birds will sing their songs without charging you a fee.

If you can’t spend time a lot of time in nature, you can still connect to nature and let it help you remain centered in the midst of the storms of life. The simple act of running your hands along the bark of a tree or letting your back rest against the solidity of a tree may help you to regain your center. Letting your gaze rest on water or the green leaves of a plant or holding a stone in the palm of your hand and letting yourself be calmed by its weight and solidity may help you to remain present in the moment. You may feel calmed by the crunch of snow or gravel beneath your feet as you walk along a path. It may be as simple as letting yourself feel the wind against your skin and your hair and remembering that challenging experiences can also come and go from your life.