I’ll admit some days I feel out of sorts, discombobulated, a little off. And although there’s much to be valued from time with family and friends, reading a good book, lunch at Panera or even a bubble bath, at times, even all of this comes up short. But there is one thing that can usually put my mind, my heart, my spirit back in place – a walk outdoors.  The truth is I’ve found this to be the anecdote to many, many things in life – restless children, bad attitudes, anger, the blues, a sense of overwhelm or even lack of clarity.  A walk outdoors.

Long before I had children I read Mary Pipher’s book, The Shelter of Each Other. One of the rich takeaways of Pipher’s book was the healing power of nature. As Pipher shared anecdotes of the variety of challenges families with whom she worked faced, the foundational prescription remained constant – get outside together. This budget friendly salve has been key in my own journey as a parent, a spouse, and an individual. Fresh air therapy can do wonders for body, mind, and soul.

And the LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in parched places, and they will strengthen your bones; and you’ll be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail (Isaiah 58:11, ISV).