The Great Outdoors

Image by Melk Hagelslag

My brother was recently in the market for a new road bike and was disgruntled by the fact that many of them were out of stock both in stores and online. This pandemic has made people feeling overly confined and longing for the outdoors. As such, it’s not only bicycles that are out of stock. Tents, fishing poles, all forms of gardening supplies, and even rental cars are in high demand. In the unlikely chance that rental cars are available in urban areas, they’re now priced at about $500 per day. 

People are aching to break out of their homes, where they have felt imprisoned for the last several months. 

It’s not just that though. There’s something about the natural world that enlivens us—whether it’s a short evening walk in the park or a heavy-duty backpacking trip through the Appalachia’s. 

There’s a spiritual exercise I practice regularly and have led many through. This exercise helps us notice the movement of God in our lives. Throughout the many times I’ve led this, I’ve observed that God reveals Godself to people in three primary ways. One of those three ways is the outdoors (the other two are community/relationships and solitary prayer/contemplation).

This is not surprising given the timeless, expansive, and transcendent qualities of the natural world. During moments of great stress, it’s comforting to go on a hike and see trees around me, trees that have been there long before I was born and will most likely remain long after I die. Or the opposite, I may notice a field of red poppies that bloom during the day only to close at night and whose lifespan lasts for just a few months. They whisper to me that every living creature has a cycle and that I don’t need to control my own by extending it past its natural time or obsess about when that time will come. 

The great outdoors takes us out of our self-absorbed selves and by doing that, saves us. We realize, either consciously or not, that we are not the center of the universe, and there is so much more to life than we can imagine or comprehend. Simultaneously, we are held and guided by something much greater than we can imagine or comprehend.

Babies and little children experience the calming effect of the outdoors as well. Whenever my kids get cranky, I immediately plop them in the stroller and walk to a nearby park. Fortunately, I now live next to a few beautiful parks I can choose from. We spread out on a blanket under a broad tree. With our puzzles, snacks, and chitchat, we pass an entire afternoon with delight. A game of tag or unrestrained chasing also usually ensues. Our bare soles zip against the damp grass, where we eventually collapse on top of for momentary interludes of laughter and catching our breath.

All this is free for us, unlike other places we may go to for entertainment such as amusement parks, malls, or spas. The outdoors wholly offers itself to us for our enjoyment and renewal. Those of us who are lucky enough to notice their generosity say thank you, thank you, thank you.

I used to crave city life and all that it entails. Dining in glamorous restaurants or writing in trendy coffee shops are now distant memories. These days, my hair is swept up in a messy ponytail as I eagerly seek out our next outdoor adventure. 

This pandemic has changed me. I think for the better (even though my hair barely gets brushed anymore).