Beneath the rough, harsh bark I found my sweetness. Between the sharp, heavy rocks strewn in the river I found my fluidity. Through the gaps in the trees I basked in my light. On the forest floor I grew from decay. I found softness and resilience in the moss. Beauty and calm in birdsong. I found my Self in the forest.
Psychologist and author Lindsay C. Gibson wrote in her book Self-Care for Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents what I’ve been trying to put into words for years:
“I think life still recognizes itself, whether it ended up as a plant or a human being. When you walk in nature, you are among friends whose ancestors are intertwined with yours. You are fellow flourishers from the oldest days of this planet.
“Let’s not forget that you are organic too. You are carbon-based as the trees, and, like them, we humans evolved as life-forms growing and adapting in the air and sunshine. The way nature looks now is a living record of that adaptive process. Just like a tree or blade of grass, you will also gravitate toward the nutrients available to you. You start to wilt when you’re in the wrong place, but once you make the right adjustments, you will perk back up again. No wonder wise decisions and choices arise more naturally when you let nature speak to your core.
“Being in nature reconnects you with your origins and needs. Nature is so true to itself that it rubs off on you. It encourages your healthy instincts and guides you forward with the least resistance. It shows you that you can have a vibrant life just by being yourself. It’s like a kindly, wise parent who wants only your best. It is, after all, your Mother Nature.”
What else can be said besides Nature is so true to itself that it rubs off on you? That may be the only thing I have ever tried to say. The purest truth is one that can be said in a thousand ways. It’s why I’ve resonated so much with The Star tarot card—nature is what leads you to your most authentic self. When you’re in harmony with nature, you’re in harmony with your nature.
And my nature? It’s that sweetness beneath the bark I’d never been able to taste. A river’s fluidity. Dappled sunlight. Growth from decay. Softness, resilience, beauty and calm.
What’s yours?