Nature brings me peace.

The day before Christmas Eve, I took a walk at Short Sand Beach. The bridge was gone, so the trail was closed—but that didn’t stop me! I found myself hurdling fallen trees and carefully stepping across rocks in the river. While I felt a pang of sadness for the missing bridge (it was such a fun, bouncy one), the challenge of navigating obstacles was invigorating. I didn’t even mind getting a little muddy.

Sometimes, when life gets busy, I forget how renewing it feels to be out in nature. The trees along the Oregon coast are so dense, it’s like being wrapped in a warm hug under their canopies. My nervous system settles, and I feel at peace.

I hope your holiday season was full of magic. If you can, take a moment to step outside—even if it’s just to look up at the stars. The energy we receive from nature is a gift: it’s free, and it reminds us of freedom.