Nature centers us. I find that when my mind is clouded, it’s prudent to head to some green space, even just a park. The sound of the wind, of the birds, the sight of grass and the trees and the feel of sunshine.. it helps us return to where we’re from.

In today’s world we continuously occupy boxes. We move from our bed box, to our house box, to our car box, to our work box, to a restaurant box, back to the home box. We might be unconscious to it, but it’s pretty confining.

Nature has no confinements, no order, no restraints. I’ve read before that those who live in cities or suburbs think gardens are natural, with their pleasing lines and landscaping. They’re pleasant, but they’re meant to meld with homes, with living spaces—with right angles and synthetic materials. Real nature—true nature—is not cute and comfortable and perfect. It’s wild and untamed. Visit a forest, the mountains, the beach, or even a meadow, and you’ll see that nature is chaos.

But there’s beauty in that too. There’s life. And when we return to it, even just a field in a park, we are somehow grounded. We are back in our original element, where we evolved to be. And that settles the mind.