First it only pops up its head, then its entire body flips over, flirting with the water line. It dives under again to breath out loud a few metres further. I watch and enjoy. When humans take a step back, nature steps up.

It is early morning, the world around us is awaking slowly, while we softly slide the kayaks in the water. We peddle around the little island, watching the boat wreck on it getting rusty and slowly returning to nature. To ash and dust shall they return, so does the small ship wreck. I wonder how it must have looked like one day, setting sail over the enormous ocean, exploring the surrounding islands, no mercy for wave nor wind. Yet, today it rests peacefully on the island. Resting in its fate to return to dust.

Precious Nature

The real spectacle awaits behind the island. There in the lap of the bay, I stop peddling, stop talking nor moving all together and just become one with the surrounding ocean. No more sound than some lost birds, the brave moving wings of a butterfly and the softly rolling waves. A little breeze blows through the mangroves, the other kayak flows somewhere over a sting ray and a baby shark.

I let the current take my kayak, divert its direction and watch to the other side; the infinity of the ocean. There it happens. First a few metres away, only the little head popping curiously up out of the water, breathing out, breathing in, exploring the novelty on the horizon.

Then it comes closer. Only a metre in front of me, and a few centimetres under the water surface. First its head reaches out, breathing out loudly, imitating a whale when the water blows up around its head. Followed by its entire body, almost the size of my little kayak, yet in through colours of nature, from yellow over brown and kaki green. His body is humongous, and tremendously beautiful. While he takes a huge breath, I hold my breath. Another wonder of nature has been unveiled to me, just by waiting and taking the time to observe.

Leaving the Bubble Behind

I look around and see everywhere heads popping up and down, strong and beautiful, old and wise turtle bodies flirting with the water line. I don’t know where to look, but I forget for one moment whole the world around me, the Corona epidemy, the migration issues, the economic issues, the increasing number of depressions and psychological problems, and all the other stuff and dust of our current civilisation.

Whole at a sudden, I am taken away of my little bubble, and flow into the bigger whole of the nature around me, and of the blue planet we live on.

This is the tremendous power of nature, the insane gift it can give us. If we are able to connect with nature, we are able to exceed our own bubble, our own mere material existence. If we can connect with nature, we can both fly high, as calm down; both exceed our current issues, as deeply connect with our present, and feel rooted again.

Find your Green Patch

Thanks to the quarantine measures in the fight against Corona, many people all over the world have started connecting with nature again. Finally, there is the time, and the lack of distractions that allow you to watch and observe nature around you. Even by staring out of your window to the blue sky, or finding your own green escape by the city park or tree on the corner of your street.

In many cases, leaving your house is only permitted for essentials, or to go for a walk or exercise. This pushes people to reconnect with nature, whereas they would before not even have thought of it. Exercising would be indoors, while walking would be replaced by driving. Today we have the opportunity to watch and observe; to really see and feel nature around us and allow it to take us away for one second of reality, for one second of our individual bulb and become part of the bigger whole we live at.

Open your Mind

How often did I hear how amazing nature is if you take drugs before heading into it? Maybe because drugs switch off the sound of the external world, and allow you to become one with the nature; maybe because it helps you to step over your own taboos and give nature a chance to show its true colours; maybe because it helps to open your mind and allow nature to come in.

I tell you; you don’t need any drugs for that; you just need to calm down, slow down, be open minded and open-eyed. Which is precisely what corona has forced our world to do so. Dive into nature, be aware of any kind of nature around you wherever you are, and re-establish this lost connection.

Open your Heart

As much as it can connects us with the planet, nature can help us connect with ourselves. In the silence, the peacefulness, the lack of other voices and distractions, you can hear your own voice.

If you take the time to really listen, to the birds, the insects, the wind, the rain; if you take the time to really see, the different shades of green, the various colours on the wings of butterflies or birds; if you take the time to really feel, the breeze through your hair, the sun rays on your cheeks, the rain drops on your noise. Then, you will be able to really see, really feel, and really hear yourself as well.

Corona has given you the time and the legitimation to be just in nature; to walk, watch and observe; to connect and reconnect with nature and with yourself. Start listening, feeling and seeing the nature around you, and your own nature.

Watch and observe; nature has a precious gift for you, are you ready to receive it?

 

This article is part of the series of Hope in Times of Corona. Read on how this times of self-isolation should not mean loneliness, on how you can contribute to this battle, on how gratitude lights up the dark, on how united we will stand strong. and on the most util strategy in awake of a crisis or on how I got blown of my feet as well, but caught by many caring hands, or on how being calm can get us through the storm. And what about Love in Times of Corona? or discovering your own talents? and why we need stories to hold on to;   And especially how you can be creative and innovative. or how to spend your mot valuable assets in times of Corona. and how to listen to the sound of silence. and How breate taking Corona really is. and discover the other freedoms Corona has shown us, as well as about the new-born freedom Corona gave us. And about another way to exceed your personal bubble. Or wait until tomorrow, when I’ll shine another light on yet another positive corner of this dark times.