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April 2021 - Get Lost In Nature Geocoin
Design notes from the artist: Chris Mackey
"Get Lost In Nature... And You Will Find Yourself." - Anonymous
I've seen this quote so many times and you probably have, too. It's never hit home so hard before though. This past year with its lockdowns, shutdowns, restricted travel, and restricted freedoms to just get out and feel alive had me feeling lost. I didn't feel like myself. I'd always felt most like "myself" when I'm outdoors working or playing, exploring, and exercising.
A couple weeks ago, I had a chance to go walk along to check up on some caches that had gone untouched for quite some time. It was cold and snowing with a bit of slushy ice and some lingering drifts. It was really quite dreary in fact. Within minutes of walking under the oaks and hemlocks though, the stir of wind brought the scents of fresh turned earth and resinous pines like a healing balm. The snow crunched under foot. Squirrels and birds rustled about overhead. The stream burbled quietly. Suddenly, I felt like myself again.
I know we've been more or less locked up for months. We've concentrated on finding things we can do at home, but it just doesn't replace the healing of the spirit like a simple walk through the great outdoors. John Muir was right in recognizing the healing properties of being outdoors. Existing and living just aren't the same things. We need to get lost in the beauty of it all. We need to steep ourselves in the bliss of being at one with nature. The human animal craves to move through the world, exploring, hunting, moving and just living in the moment.
If you've felt this crush weight of being lost in yourself, maybe you just need to get lost in nature instead to find yourself.. Get lost in your love of the outdoors. Go find that cache, go find that trail you've never walked, go out and feel alive again. Then get something to eat, get some sleep, get to a trail, and then do it all over again. Get lost in the process of rediscovering yourself and the world that makes you feel alive.