The More Time I Spend in Nature, the Kinder I Become
I spend a lot of time seeking out places where there’s no cell service, no traffic, no televisions, no people, and very little that resembles the world I normally live in. Instead, mine is filled with remote mountains, high altitude, wind, snow, rivers, and, sometimes, weather so severe that finding shelter becomes the priority. One of the things I’m learning is that the longer I spend in nature, the more patient I seem to become with people when I return home. That sounds almost too simple, but I notice it again and again after each expedition. Someone yells at me, and I’m more likely to let it go. A car cuts me off in traffic, and instead of getting angry, I might laugh. A potential client doesn’t return my phone call, and I’m less likely to make up a story about what it means or take it personally. I don’t suddenly become a saint. I still get irritated and have bad days. There’s a good reason why I meditate daily. But the amount of space …
