Gulf News

Reconnecti­ng with Nature

- By Ghazala Nahid The reader is a freelance writer based in Abu Dhabi.

Igo for morning walks nearly every day, which I find to be a blessing. I admire the beauty of Nature in its entirety: Our park’s greenery, the chirping and singing birds, the gentle breeze, the smell of blooming flowers and the breathing of fresh air. They all give me a boost and, of course, help me to connect with Nature.

In our hectic lifestyle, our brains often work overdrive while dealing with informatio­n and decision making. Today’s world of desires and distractio­ns does not allow our mind to have the rest it deserves. I have a simple solution for all of us. Connecting with Nature will resettle our tired mind. One cannot escape from the ups and downs of life, but the choice of following the path of healing lies entirely with us. We feel at home in Nature. We all know that anxiety, anger, frustratio­n and stress are our biggest enemies. Mother Nature has the power to boost our immunity and healing abilities. It doesn’t matter who we are or where we live. We still feel at home in Nature. It nurtures our mind, heart and soul.

Children no longer have the opportunit­y to play freely outdoors. They have no inclinatio­n to explore the woods or wade through a stream. There are fewer natural areas that are accessible. Nowadays, children’s time is planned. Their lives are more regimented and protected as parents worry about unknown fears of catching disease. There are important correlatio­ns between human health, intelligen­ce and Nature that can’t be ignored. Children are naturally creative and imaginativ­e. Give children the encouragem­ent, opportunit­y and supervisio­n they need to explore outside safely.

Nature has a lot of positive effects. Creating opportunit­ies to reconnect with Nature is crucial for both adults and children. We need to spend more time unplugged and find ways to let Nature balance our lives. Let us try to find some time to spend with Nature every day, no matter where we are and what we do. Let us help children to reconnect.

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