a charge...step away

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

- Wendell Berry

As we look ahead to the start of school, the change of seasons, as well as the uncertainty that surrounds it all–we can't help but want to step back for a bit. We seek a bit more summer in the wild places that encircle.

Taking time to soak in nature (whether it's in the park down the street, on your building's front steps, or in the mountains a bit away) helps us rebalance and recharge. Time outside connects us to ourselves, the natural rhythms of our world, and each other. A recent article in Psychology Today highlights the idea that time outdoors leaves us better able to respond to difficult situations and to navigate our lives

with less stress and more ease.

Come join us by taking a moment to step into the natural world this month (no matter if it's for an entire day or just three minutes!).

We dare ya!