At first I shrugged it off and laughed as I thought how long it had been, about 20 years, since I had jumped in a car and not thought/worried about having a phone with me.
But then I realized/worried that I wouldn’t be able to capture photos of our walk. Of the boys. Of my favorite time of year. And after the initial anxiety (yes, there was actual anxiety over this) I thought, “wait, this is an opportunity!” We could just walk and enjoy. No distraction of having to pause, to pull out my phone, and to capture a freeze frame of my experience. We could just be.
So we simply walked.
I’m usually mindful on our walks anyhow. I love being enveloped by the experience. I am alive, in awe, full of gratitude, connected to something bigger, more relaxed, and truly content when I walk in nature.
I walked out onto a small outcrop along the back side of the lake with a stunning view. Nearby branches reaching out over the water and shedding their yellow leaves like a gentle steady rain as the wind helped release them from their branches. The stand of trees behind me reflecting the intensity of the wind in the sound of their drying leaves rustling. The warmth of the sun pouring down on us and the ground around us. Light shimmering off the surface of the still water which was dotted with leaves of various shades of yellow and orange and reflecting the colors of the life around its shores.
It would have been a perfect video to post. … “to post” … I shook my head and sighed. While I love sharing the beauty, the inspiration, and the calming effects of my time in nature, I was disappointed when a feeling of anxiety came over me that I wouldn’t be able to capture this and share it with others. I hadn’t realized how trained and reliant I was becoming on social media over the past year.
I started my accounts as ways to promote the classes that I was offering. And then it became for the business that I am now building around yoga, meditation, and nature. And while I enjoy capturing my experiences and seeing those of others, I don’t want to lose the ability to lose myself in simple awe and gratitude of what’s around me without the feeling of a need to photograph it or share it.
I want to make sure that I still make time to be in the moment, and let that be enough. Just a few sweet moments shared between myself and mother nature. Just for us.
I invite you to be in the moment with nature … free of distraction. Allow yourself to be swept up by the smell of fall leaves, the sound of the wind loosening more leaves from their branches, and the sight of them slowly and lazily making their way to the earth.
Enjoy a moment just between you and nature. Your own intimate experience. It could be in your backyard, on a walk around your neighborhood, or on a hike. See if you can leave your phone on silent and keep it tucked away. Savor your own mindful date with nature.