Incorporating nature into our busy schedules can be challenging, especially in urban areas. However, in a time when many people are experiencing loneliness and isolation, spending even a few moments outdoors can help us feel more connected.
Luckily, there are various simple ways to embrace nature regardless of where you live. Start by grounding yourself and sinking your bare feet into a patch of dirt, contemplating how the soil nourishes the plants and animals that ultimately nourish us. Consider befriending a tree, whether it be a majestic pine, luscious mango, or vibrant tulip tree. Engage all your senses as you observe its leaves and feel the texture of its bark.
During my time living in New York and Los Angeles, finding a piece of nature to immerse myself in often meant arduous hikes or stumbling upon the occasional tree in a downtown area or near a park like Inwood Hill Park in New York City, where ginkgoes flourish. Now, residing in East Tennessee, I have the privilege of walking just a few steps past my porch into my own garden, consisting of two small strips of land surrounding my charming two-story white and turquoise farmhouse.
When I first moved here, the thirsty clay soil was covered in nonnative European grass, resembling the color of dried blood. Determined to make a change, I grabbed a shovel and created eight garden beds amidst the grass. I filled these beds with plants native to my region, such as coneflowers, aromatic aster, bee balm, and Virginia blue bells. Although my attempts at cultivating squash, peppers, yellow watermelon, and white eggplant were unsuccessful, it became apparent that my land yearned for flowers. Thus, I shifted my focus to breeding zinnias, cosmos, and dahlias. Now, each vibrant bloom, akin to a precious jewel, attracts butterflies, hover flies, and bees, transforming what was once a barren wasteland.
Whenever I am faced with creative blockages, I find solace in walking barefoot on the earth, no matter the season, allowing stories to nourish the roots of my entire being. If I encounter a plot hole in my writing, I seek inspiration from my lemon and lime basil plants, immersing my fingers in their invigorating citrus scents. And when my writing calls for more lyrical prose, I sit among the dahlias, envisioning their boundless genetic possibilities flowing through me as I communicate with them.
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