Take your shoes off

I got a chance to go to the beach this past weekend. I had forgotten how much I love the feeling of sand between my toes. The visit reminded me of how great it feels to connect with nature. It also reminded me how disconnected from nature I had become. I think the last time I connected with nature was brushing up against a shrub while getting into an Uber.

Being in nature (forest, park, field, hills, beach, etc.) reminds me of beauty of our world, helps me feel gratitude that I'm am part of this world, and (like my good friend and colleague, Thom Martin preaches) it gives me a healthy perspective by gently showing me what "big" is and in contrast, how small I am.

I invite you to find a patch of nature and let it guide you to some truly mindful time. Let the bark of a tree fill you with wonder, let the sound of the wind through the trees ignite your curiosity, or look out across the ocean and wonder at the enormity of the earth's horizon.
And if you get the chance, take your shoes off.

Peace.

"There are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed by the infinite leisure and repose of nature."

Henry David Thoreau