Parenting a toddler is exhausting. Full stop. Love your plan for self-care through this season of life. Also, I enjoy reading nature books (my personal favorites are about people who’ve undertaken long walks, i.e. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn.) Yet I am most definitely not an outdoors person, and would rather jump off a cliff than rough camp for nights on end while walking to exhaustion every day! I think I enjoy reading these books to absorb the lessons the author learned, but in a way more in keeping with my natural tendencies.
Thank you for the toddler-exhaustion validation! I needed that. And also thanks for the reminder of how enjoyable hiking books can be! Like so many others, I loved "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed. I'm adding "The Salt Path" to my to-read list.
I am 100% with you on feeling drained by all the tasks with no space left for myself. At times life feels like this never ending stream of tasks and I just want to hit pause for a while. I also love the way you're leaning into nature. I've always been drawn to nature, but in the years since Sarah got sick, it's taken on an increasingly important role. Early on I spent many mornings standing in a river fly fishing while grieving the life we thought we'd have and trying to process what lay in front of us. These days I'm more often out birding or walking with our dog Mosey, but the act of being in nature is just as powerful. There is something about being present in a space that is so much bigger than you and being able to stop and just observe everything around you that I find really helpful for getting out of my head and grounding myself.
I loved your reflections on this season. Ever since I turned towards nature, I became more serene and connected, like I'm part of a bigger "family". Its rhythm, slower than ours, feels healing. Nature always helps me when I feel scattered or overwhelmed by emotions. Also, when I have trouble writing, I know I need a bit more nature time! :) ... and yes to playing Wordle, I'm hooked!
Oh my yes, I do relate to this. My post on Sunday had a related theme. Nine years ago I started walking in nature every day. I had lived my life mostly with nature only as a scenic backdrop. I was literally afraid to walk down a paved path in a fairly well traveled park by myself. I have learned so slowly and as I have I find myself very much in tune with a different kind of rhythm - one that is so at odds with our culture. A friend told me that last fall she had really allowed herself to follow her internal urges (which I realize is a LOT easier when you don't have a small child!) and she was amazed at how truly rested she feels now, probably for the first time in her life. And with that rest is coming new bursts of creativity. I'm glad we can all inspire each other.
Parenting a toddler is exhausting. Full stop. Love your plan for self-care through this season of life. Also, I enjoy reading nature books (my personal favorites are about people who’ve undertaken long walks, i.e. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn.) Yet I am most definitely not an outdoors person, and would rather jump off a cliff than rough camp for nights on end while walking to exhaustion every day! I think I enjoy reading these books to absorb the lessons the author learned, but in a way more in keeping with my natural tendencies.
Thank you for the toddler-exhaustion validation! I needed that. And also thanks for the reminder of how enjoyable hiking books can be! Like so many others, I loved "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed. I'm adding "The Salt Path" to my to-read list.
I am 100% with you on feeling drained by all the tasks with no space left for myself. At times life feels like this never ending stream of tasks and I just want to hit pause for a while. I also love the way you're leaning into nature. I've always been drawn to nature, but in the years since Sarah got sick, it's taken on an increasingly important role. Early on I spent many mornings standing in a river fly fishing while grieving the life we thought we'd have and trying to process what lay in front of us. These days I'm more often out birding or walking with our dog Mosey, but the act of being in nature is just as powerful. There is something about being present in a space that is so much bigger than you and being able to stop and just observe everything around you that I find really helpful for getting out of my head and grounding myself.
I couldn't put it better than that. I'm also interested in birding! It seems like such a lovely hobby.
I loved your reflections on this season. Ever since I turned towards nature, I became more serene and connected, like I'm part of a bigger "family". Its rhythm, slower than ours, feels healing. Nature always helps me when I feel scattered or overwhelmed by emotions. Also, when I have trouble writing, I know I need a bit more nature time! :) ... and yes to playing Wordle, I'm hooked!
Thanks, Monica! Nature always helps me with writer's block too!!
Oh my yes, I do relate to this. My post on Sunday had a related theme. Nine years ago I started walking in nature every day. I had lived my life mostly with nature only as a scenic backdrop. I was literally afraid to walk down a paved path in a fairly well traveled park by myself. I have learned so slowly and as I have I find myself very much in tune with a different kind of rhythm - one that is so at odds with our culture. A friend told me that last fall she had really allowed herself to follow her internal urges (which I realize is a LOT easier when you don't have a small child!) and she was amazed at how truly rested she feels now, probably for the first time in her life. And with that rest is coming new bursts of creativity. I'm glad we can all inspire each other.
I love this so, so much. I truly believe that nature is the best way to heal grief.