Hello, March -
I wrote this entry last month from a cozy log cabin while on vacation in snowy Colorado.
I often feel disproportionately saddened when the holidays are over. We wait the whole year with so much anticipation and it’s over in a flash. Overnight, it feels like all the festiveness and cheer is ripped out underneath us. All this to say, my husband and I decided to lessen the blow with a trip to Colorado after the holidays and our birthdays were over.
Spending time in the mountains gives me this deep, nostalgic feeling that is hard to describe. It’s almost a remembrance of home; it makes me feel safe and connected to all of nature. Being in this landscape during the winter is truly special. When we go to Colorado in the summer, the landscape is bustling and alive…wildflowers, aspen trees, pikas, elk, bears, and bighorn sheep are all out scavenging and flourishing.
But in the winter, all is calm and quiet. Nature teaches us the importance and necessity of the winter months, to slow us down. Without the opportunity to rest and rejuvenate, many of these creatures would cease to be. Birds must fly south, large mammals fatten up and hibernate, plants go dormant, and fish find deep waters to dwell.
As humans continue to advance technologically, I believe we are getting more distanced from the natural world. When we slow down and intentionally notice nature’s cycles, we are reminded of our interconnectedness and need to sync up our rhythms with that of Mother Nature’s.
In the winter months, I usually put on about 8-10 lbs. I go to bed earlier and sleep in later. I take a break from running long distances and turn to yoga. My weekend social plans are minimal and in turn, I focus on rest. I used to feel guilty about these fluctuations, like I was being lazy and unproductive. Now I realize how disconnected I was with myself and with nature – instead I was being influenced by our hyper-productive culture.
Today, I recognize the need to hibernate, just as the bear does. My social spirit needs to go dormant, much like the wildflowers. I move at a slower pace, much like the fish. When I surrender to the natural flow of what my body needs during this time, I find so much more peace, contentment, and connection to nature, and importantly, myself.
I invite you to spend time reflecting on how we can take the daily—sometimes mundane—encounters and intentionally make them meaningful? I am striving to actively seek out the parallels between nature’s pulse and my own. I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes to start the year…
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”- Lao Tzu
Wishing you a month of intention ahead,
Lucy
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