Gratitude For Nature - Photo Quest : Connect with Nature from everywhere

I recalled a quote I saw somewhere that said: "Nature is everywhere”. I never fully understood this until the August 2021 New Zealand lockdown. I used to think nature is out there and we have to get out to bask in its positive energy and appreciate its wonders. Now I know it doesn’t have to be that way. I am so grateful for what nature helps me to realize – she is right here in my heart and in my mind - I just need to feel my breath, close my eyes then I will feel it.

New Zealand was in level 4 for the last 13 days, meaning it is mandatory to stay at home with our bubbly families to protect each other. For me, it also means that I can’t go outside and enjoy my Mother Nature as much as I want. When I feel stressed and need to relax, can’t withdraw to my favourite hidden spots.

Then I realized that, despite I can’t physically see nature, but she is still here. When I close my eyes, I can see her. If I want to visit her in the beach, she will be there with her soft white sand dress and blue waters. I hear her voice whispering to my ears through the calm sound wave crashing to the shore, and her smell of salted water when the wind blows.

If I want to see her in my favourite places in spring, she is waiting for me on a colourful dress: pink, yellow, red, purple… She speaks to me through the song of the birds and I can feel her delightful smells when we walk through the park.

Another special place for me is the rice field just before harvest time. She brings me that special smell from my childhood. And there’s more: she is waving at me, her dress looks like silk because of the wind. Then she lifted me up and run with me. At this precise moment when I am writing this post, I can feel it vividly.

Another way I connect to her is through my plants. Whenever I look at them, I can feel she is there. Living plants growing every day, and I know it’s her, so I enjoy talking with them. I know my plants (as mother nature) will listen to me about everything, whether it’s Vietnamese or English, I feel safe and happy to share my feelings with her. In fact, I often see myself practicing my meeting notes with them, and chat about things I want to do for the day or things that I did during the day.

Thanks to nature, I become an eager learner. I am so excited to see the world every day. Nature has taught me many things. One of these is living in the present and enjoy each moment. I am so grateful when I finally learn that lesson and be able to see her through my mind.

However, we as human are damaging her. It hurts so bad. That’s why I want to live my life in a way that doesn’t cost the Earth. Whenever I need new things, I always make sure to have a look at a second-hand shops first. I became aware of how much water and energy I use. Adjusting our diet so I don’t eat more than my body needs or try to make things from our own. It took billions of years for the Earth to be livable as today. There were better and worse times, but mother nature worked so hard to make this beautiful world to us. Now it’s our turn, let’s do as much as we can to protect her.

This post is also dedicated to my partner – He is the one who helps me understand about the important of knowing what to do and what not to do to save our mother nature.