No matter how advanced we become as a society, we are always at the beck and call of Mother Nature. We live in the rhythm of her diverse seasons and rely on her for food and natural resources. She can instantly bring a nation to a standstill with an earthquake, hurricane or blizzard. It is impossible not to be in awe of her beauty, power and abundance.

With our hectic schedules, it is easy to get disconnected from nature and not realize why we feel stressed and sluggish. Studies prove that interacting with nature can dramatically improve cognitive function. Being in natural settings restores our ability to exercise directed attention and working memory - crucial mental talents. A walk in the forest is a vacation for the prefrontal cortex.

Gandhi once said, “To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.” When I feel ungrounded I have a natural tendency to head outside and toil around raking, pulling weeds or planting flowers. By tuning into nature’s healing powers, we are united with a close friend who is always ready to listen and share our grief and tears during hard times and our joy and laughter in the best of times.

We are all part of nature and to deny ourselves that innate bond is to sap our souls of the unifying essence that organizes, preserves and regenerates life relationships at every level. Charlotte is filled with beautiful places to escape to for rejuvenation. Check out our article on Mecklenburg County Park and Rec to discover the range of activities available in your own back yard. Eco-Volunteering in the Queen City offers local green organizations that allow you to immerse yourself in nature while preserving the planet.

I invite you to find your own corner where you can feel, breathe and hear nature each day. Sit in the sunshine, watch a butterfly twitter by, listen to the birds chirp. Be a part of the force of nature.