Mental Health: In Nature

It feels like an immense blessing to cultivate a relationship with the Earth. Right now, the only place that feels like home is anything that doesn't have four walls. The humming of bees, the rustling of leaves, the smell of soil; it's a healing experience for the restless mind.

When I'm gardening, it feels meditative. It's as if I no longer exist. I have become the sage plant, the twirling vines of cucumbers, the fluorescent orange of marigolds. Feeling the dirt my hands feels purposeful and powerful. It's a sort of magic that can't be taught; it must be earned through patience and an unconditional love for our planet. 

As a child, I vividly remember spending time in the green, wire fenced garden outside my apartment building. I'd catch fireflies, dissect leaves, and study the silhouettes of flowers. I didn't understand it at the time, but I felt drawn to nature. There are no expectations from plants. All you need to do is be with them, and tend to them from the bottom of your heart. They ask nothing of you, it's a relationship where you choose to fully give yourself.

One of the earliest memories I have of my love for nature is the brief moments I spent scavenger hunting the front of my apartment as my elderly neighbor, George, sat and watched. I picked up this white, strange looking flower and asked him what it was - "they look like bells", he said. Gardening brings me back to this inner, tucked away part of myself that sometimes I feel like only the plants (or perhaps George) would understand. 

This garden that I've been working on feels like a manifestation of my inner world. It' s a slice of optimism and utopia in a world that feels scary and uncertain. It hasn't been an easy road, I make mistake every single day but they're worth it because it makes a better steward to the Earth. The fresh air clears my overthinking mind, and untethers me from myself. There is truly no greater feeling than eating something you've grown, or seeing something you've planted bloom to its fullest potential. If I could turn the entire universe into one large garden, I would.