Hello Garden Friends
By Monica Rylski & Gardening on the Cay
The allure of autumn has arrived in the Carolinas, and we have entered the grand finale of the previous season. Nature is revealing to us how lovely it is to change and let go. Research shows a strong relationship between spending time with nature and its positive effects on our psychological outlook, physical, and spiritual well-being. There is an increased interest in interacting with our natural environment, and individuals report higher levels of happiness, decreased depression, improved sleep, and lower levels of stress.
People who regularly visit nature were two times more likely to report their lives as worthwhile, having meaning, and feeling purpose. Interestingly, even passive engagement, such as viewing images of nature or having a natural view from our home, work, or hospital room, increases our mood and has a therapeutic effect that accelerates healing.
We are learning that our natural environment plays a significant role and impacts how we feel. As we reconnect and sow quality time in nature, we reap its rewards exponentially. When close to nature, we are invited to relax, quiet our minds, and open up to creativity. You can fully immerse yourself and engage all of your senses. We shift our attention externally and become aware of the present world around us. We gain calmness and inner strength because we are refocusing and entering rest. We are being refreshed and restored through leisure and recreation.
There is a presence and power in our natural surroundings to be received freely. There are invisible qualities, such as stillness, peace, strength, endurance, renewal, balance, and harmony, that are reflected in the presence of the landscape all around us. Nature is telling a story, and it is new and different every day. It is living art.
We can enrich our lives by connecting to the outdoor world and appreciating the preciousness of creation and ourselves. Some recharge by visiting our forests (for – rest) and feel the gentle breeze that reaches the height of the tree canopy. Others feel alive as they ascend to the top of our mountains and marvel at the breadth of the horizon before them. Some ponder the depths of our lakes and the ocean below during the golden hour sunsets. While others are captivated by the length of the sunbeams from our vibrant southern sunrises. We can enjoy tranquility through the haven we created in our own backyards and admire the cheerful blooms in our outdoor space. A symphony is being created daily by every living thing and their unique song.
I encourage you to go outside in the fresh, crisp air and look up at the cotton candy clouds that fill our sky day after day. Try new experiences or revisit favorite vistas and familiar trails because you may just encounter the unexpected and create an unforgettable memory. There is something for everyone to explore, and adventure awaits you and your loved ones. Our home is a beautiful, diverse, and wonderful world. Nature, in its simplicity and purity, was created for us to enjoy.
