I moved to Atlanta six years ago for warmer weather and better work-life balance. Cousins of my dad live in a lovely community down here. When I visited, they shared cherished memories of my father, as well as my grandfather, and it was all so comforting. Moving to Atlanta was moving to be closer to my dad. I also know if he had lived past retirement, he would have been taking lots of nature walks and boat rides, things he loved to do as a kid and young adult, and seemed to give up later in life in deference to running his allergy private practice and raising his children.
My dad got married in his early 40s. I have this one photo in my childhood bedroom of him going white water rafting years prior.
That photo always captured for me what his essence was all about.
When we would walk to synagogue every week we would cross through a nature path and my dad would always pause at the waterfall and just stare at it. I always took that to heart. Years after he passed away, whenever I passed that waterfall I would pause and stare at it. And take it in. And now, whenever I go on nature walks, I savor moments by the waterfalls there.
There is something so soothing about water. The depths of the sea mirror the infinite nature of our subconscious. The sounds reminiscent of the audio of the womb. Waterfalls mimic the tears of my heart; their flow cultivates my own creative flow, as I’m encouraged to release the blockages in my heart, which make an earnest yet fruitless attempt to prevent me from feeling pain.
More about the restorative power of nature and my wellness journey here.
Mindful Nuggets 