As a child, I used to walk aimlessly outside for hours on end. I would receive a thrill from traveling my own neighborhood, as if I was starting a journey that would change my life, just as Bilbo Baggins did when leaving the Shire. The world felt mysterious and intimate to me. I often thought that if I walked far enough I would discover something just for my eyes. That I would get lost and find myself in a completely different dimension. Growing up, I have noticed that I have been doing what I used to love less and less. My nostalgia for it all is what has brought me back.

Just recently, I took a walk in a local park with my fiancé and a close friends of ours. We took a couple hours out of our busy lives to just simply enjoy the outdoors and each other. I understand that as we get older it is harder to enjoy such an effortless pastime; some of us get swarmed with school assignments and deadlines, while others work most of the week and want to spend what few hours they have left relaxing indoors. Even though it may seem impossible, make yourself leave your house, give yourself a chance to experience something new.

We jumped over logs and skipped across the rocks embedded in the river; surrounded ourselves in a forest of naked pine trees and found the burrowed holes of cicadas. The only times we had our phones out were to take photographs of the scenery before us and memories of each other. For just a moment, I forgot about any stress or anxiety that I normally feel day-to-day. It almost felt like a mental cleanse just to breathe fresh air. Though we were out for only a few hours, it was reminder to myself how it felt to be a child, curious once again.

What I miss the most is how much I used to love nature. All aspects of nature. Not just the sunny days, but the dreary, the cold and the wet. I miss running through a storm with my hair drenched, not caring if mud clung to my clothes or if grass stains came in contact with my knees. I miss actually enjoying snow, rather than appreciating its beauty at a distance, as I stay safely inside the comfort of my own home.

My advice to myself, and to others as well, is to start appreciating nature a bit more each day. You could read outdoors sprawled out on the grass, take a small walk around the block or even have a picnic with those close to you. Invite your friends to the beach or take a significant other stargazing. We should all remind ourselves just how small we are on this planet and admire our origins of existence.