We weren't made for a spring like this one
Nature is still the best mood booster, though
In Katherine May’s beautiful book Wintering, she uses the dark season as a metaphor for a state of mind that you enter when life is rough. The death of a loved one, unemployment, burnout, poor health or other life crises all hold the potential to trigger a proverbial winter. According to May, embracing the cold and dark, rather than fighting it, can help us heal. If we just give ourselves permission to slow down and hibernate during tough times, springtime will come.
I haven’t gone through any personal crises lately but have still felt like I’ve been in a perpetual winter the past few months. And now, with spring in full swing – a time of the year when I usually feel upbeat and energized – I have days when I feel like staying in hibernation indefinitely.
Normally, I’d be writing about the beauty of trees coming out of their winter rest. Share my excitement over seeing the first bumblebee of the year, feasting on nectar from a stand of colts’ foot next to our house. Indulge in the everyday magic of the days getting longer. (Did you know that daylight helps regulate both our mood and our sleep and wake cycles, along with a slew of other bodily functions?)
But this is no ordinary spring.
As I wrote in a previous post, public lands in the U.S. are under attack, and so are environmental regulations that have been protecting us against pollution in air, water and soil for decades. This at a time when the planet is already in peril. The magnitude of it all is almost too much to take in, and still, staying in bed and crawling back under the covers doesn’t really seem like an option.
So, as every day seems to bring a new emergency, I force myself to put the doomscrolling and 24-hour news cycle on pause and go outside. Yes, some days it may seem like we’re carrying the world on our shoulders in a way that our past as hunter-gatherer living in small bands and communities never prepared us for. But we must be able to keep two thoughts in our heads at the same time. There are days when I feel like the world is on fire, but watching nature wake up from its hibernation can still bring me joy and comfort.
As I wrote in this post about nature-based rituals, we shouldn’t feel guilty about turning to nature in times of hardship. Instead, we should keep going outside to smell the dandelions and look for frog spawn, so that we can gain the strength necessary to keep showing up for ourselves, our family, our community and our planet.
All the people that have come out to show solidarity with the natural world lately could be a sign that the season is shifting – and not just in the soil. Just like spring is a force of change that pushes through frozen ground and cracks open what’s been dormant, I think we’re seeing a force moving through us. Nudging us to step out into the light and stand in defiance. I’m hoping it is the rewilding of our courage.
One thing to contemplate
Every spring, nature offers us a quiet invitation to begin again. Rise with the birds. Plant a seed. Kick your shoes off and root with the soil.
Two things to listen to
1. Tune into this episode of Where Parents Talk if you’d like to hear my take on the modern, indoor childhood and learn more about friluftsliv (open-air life).
2. Are you dying to go on an outdoor adventure but feel stuck because of lack of time and/or money? A microadventure may do the trick. According to the National Geographic explorer Alaistair Humphreys, who coined the term, a microadventure is about finding adventure close to home, with simple means (a lot like friluftsliv) to make it easy to get out. In this YouTube episode, he explains more.
Three things to do outside
1. Plant something. Just the act of getting your hands in the soil will reinforce the feeling of rebirth as nature springs back to life around us. I grow potatoes, partly because it’s a staple for our family and partly because it’s very forgiving, with an impressive neglect-to-yield ratio. If growing crops is not your thing, another fun idea is to make seed bombs with wildflower seeds – the Wildlife Trusts has a good tutorial.
2. Now is the perfect time to forage for spring edibles. Many species are ubiquitous across North America and can be used in salads, casseroles, soups, just to name a few. One of my favorite spring edibles is the stinging nettle, which can be used to make this tasty soup.
3. Listen to early-morning birdsong during a gökotta, or “cuckoo dawn”. April and May are the peak months for birdsong – nature’s finest anti-depressant – bringing hope, joy and a way to connect with your local wildlife. Check out my tips for a successful gökotta on the blog.
See you outside!
Linda
Some housekeeping…
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Before you go...
I have a curated selection of some of my favorite children's outerwear at Outdoor School Shop. When you shop through the link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Check out the Rain or Shine Mamma shop at ODSS here.
I've published two books: There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather and The Open-Air Life. If you enjoyed them, you can help others find them by leaving an Amazon review here and here respectively.
I often get interviewed about outdoor play and nature connection at various podcasts. You can find all the episodes I've participated in here.
Do you have a book club or head up a nature play community? I love doing virtual author visits! Just hit reply to this message to connect.
I do virtual speaking events for corporations, non-profits and online summits. You can read more about that here.
Do YOU have something going on in the nature connection space that you think this community should hear about? If so, hit 'reply' and let me know what you're up to - I'd be happy to share!
I loved reading your newsletter! Such inspiring ideas and I really liked your invitation to book clubs to invite you join to join for an author visit!