Nature is the Greatest Gift: A Love Letter to the Outdoors

I always seem to find myself when I’m outside. At a very young age (three months, to be exact) I was thrust into the wonders of the outdoors on my first camping trip. Set in my car seat on the ground beside the campfire and put in a hiking baby carrier for walks in the woods, I grew accustomed to this new and exciting environment.

On endless adventures in the woods as a child, I became familiar with and comforted by the fresh air and new smells and sounds and sights of the wild. The warm crackle of the campfire. The sweet smell of balsam fir. The rustle of animals in the nearby bushes. I learned to be comfortable and relaxed in a place that was originally so foreign. I felt secure, despite the unknown. I began to associate the outdoors with relaxation and fun and challenge and adventure, and whether it was hiking, camping, canoeing, backpacking, skiing, or simply, taking a walk, I knew I could rely on the outdoors as a constant in my life. A constant source of support, stability, and perspective.

During this otherworldly time of COVID-19, I have done a lot of thinking about the outdoors, especially as someone who was living in New York City during the apex of the pandemic. At a time when the outdoors has become our respite and our semblance of normalcy, I have developed a new appreciation for what nature and simply being outside can provide to us. Gifts that are free and plentiful and often taken for granted. Gifts that ground us and help to give us purpose and perspective. Gifts that make us feel more whole.

Without the ability to socialize or enjoy all that New York City has to offer, I tried to focus on what I could do and what I could control. I don’t know about you, but during the pandemic, taking a walk has been the most incredible gift—one that makes me feel free despite these very challenging times. It is one of the few activities that (with the right precautions—mask wearing and social distancing) we can still do without immense fear for our safety and wellbeing.

During my brief walks at the apex of COVID-19 in New York City, I loved feeling the sunlight hit my back and the wind tousle my hair. I loved looking up at the sky and at the trees amidst the buildings. I loved walking over to the river and looking north and imagining the small towns and vast wilderness not really so far away. I loved feeling my legs move and my heart beat. I loved coming back inside refreshed and awake and alive.

Except on walks during the pandemic, I have no destination. I am not rushing to a meeting or to see a friend, trying to catch a train or make a reservation, fighting rush-hour traffic and the crowds. Taking a walk enables me to slow down, feel refreshed, have an open mind, and make new discoveries. About myself, and the world around me.

In my decade plus of living in New York City, I always thought that I had to escape the city in order to find peace and solace and respite in nature, but what I’ve learned during COVID-19, even in the concrete jungle, is that nature is everywhere. It’s not just about being off the grid in the woods or atop a mountain or paddling down a lake. Nature is simply being outside. 

Being outside is extremely healing, especially with our social interaction limited, our day-to-day lives disrupted, our tensions high, and our fears of this deadly pandemic heightening our anxiety. The outdoors can have such a great impact on our mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical wellbeing. It certainly doesn’t change this very real and very difficult time we’re in, but it does make an impact. 

Whether you’re in the heart of a city or living in the wild, the outdoors is with you wherever you go. Below I’ve listed some of the gifts you can gain from simply stepping outside, breathing in fresh air to your lungs, letting the sun drench your body in light, feeling the wind brush your cheek, letting the breeze pass through your open fingers, looking up at the vast sky above.

• Peace of mind

• Perspective

• Open-mindedness

• Stress relief

• Relaxation

• Tranquility

• Clarity

At this uncertain time, when we are forced to slow down, take a pause, and spend more time than ever in our homes and with our families, or solo, unable to go about our regular lives and activities, I try to remember the gift of the outdoors. This unifying, tangible thing that is just outside our front door. This slice of peace and perspective when we need it most.

To free my mind, make a big decision, or gain some peace, I take a walk. Do you?

When I am outside, I am alive. When I am outside, I am my best self. When I am outside, I am happiest. When I am outside, I am whole. I rely on the outdoors to rejuvenate my spirit. Do you?

Erin Holstein is a social impact professional, passionate about the intersection of wellness, the outdoors, philanthropy, and social good.