We were driving down the dirt road, curious in anticipation of what was to come. The map said there was a lake just a little further down. We parked the car on top of the hill and looked down. There it was, the lake! It spread down across the valley, the surrounding forest and sky above reflected perfectly in the calm waters. The quietness of the area was intriguing. A path nearby led us down, where we could explore this beautiful setting up close. A dry pine tree stood tall at the edge of the water on the other side of the lake, and its reflection on the water led our eyes up. There, on a branch, as if the owner of it all, stood a bald eagle. We quickly grabbed our cameras to take pictures of this beautiful bird.
Somewhere we heard the cries of another raptor. We couldn’t see it, but the calls echoed through the valley and across the lake. We didn’t have to wait long to find out who was calling. The bald eagle’s successor, a young bald eagle, soon flew on to the same tree on a lower branch. Beautiful birds both of them. The parent and the child.
The whole experience was beautiful. The calls of the young eagle still echoing across the lake into the forest, the parent up higher on the tree watching everything, (sometimes looking more annoyed at the calls than anything. Some teenagers talk a lot, even teenage eagles), a king fisher scouting the lake for food, a lonely duck in the distance going in and out of the water looking for delicacies, and so much more I know we couldn’t see, made this such a special time.
I came home refreshed. Time spent in nature is so healthy for us. Scientists are learning that the oils trees release to fight off disease, also increase our own body’s ability to fight off disease. And taking in the beautiful things of nature around us, the flowers our neighbors are growing, the little lady bugs on the grass, the busy bees and insects flying around, the birds singing, all of that, when we chose to see and explore them, calm our mind and soul and help us be more content. How amazing that nature is healthy for the body and for the mind!
So be purposeful in looking at the natural world. Bring a plant inside your home to take care of. Look at how cute little weeds resiliently grow through cement or paved roads. There’s a life lesson just there. Check your neighbors’ yards for their landscaping creativity. Sit down under a tree and breathe in deeply its freshness. Or immerse yourself in a forest. Choose to see the nature that grows, unworried, around you and harvest its benefits.
Now tell me, what do you see?
