An unexpected encounter reminds me of the restorative power of "soft fascination" with nature. A brief video.
For us, getting exercise safely during the pandemic means getting outdoors—even in bad weather. In the Pacific Northwest, that translates into getting out in chilly rain and wind—conditions that can create their own physical stresses.
On one such winter day, towards the finish of a long brisk walk, I was tired and getting annoyed with the constant wind and wet. The footpath I was following took me over a small metal bridge that crossed a small canal. I rarely stop there, but this day—perhaps because I wanted a brief breather—I paused and looked into the water. The trees bordering the canal had their trunks and branches graphically reflected—like pencil sketches—in the mostly still water. The tree tops were waving in the breeze and intermittent raindrops caused the water's surface to erupt unpredictably in evanescent concentric ripples. I was mesmerized.
The cumulative effect was enchanting, calming, and personally restorative. The rest of my walk home was happier and more relaxed—another reminder of the effect of nature on mood and well-being.
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