I hope you're having a wonderful holiday. I wish you light and warmth and the exact right amount of love and connection you need right now.

But I know that holidays can be tough for those of us who’ve lost loved ones.

We miss them fiercely in this season of forced joyfulness. Whether their death was recent or years ago, we feel their absence profoundly.

So I'm reaching out to offer one self-care tip. It's simple and takes a few moments.

Step outside. And breathe.

The natural world holds space for us and our grief better than any human ever can.

I'm not sure why Nature eases grief so beautifully. Maybe it's the absolute stillness that calms us. The contrast of the outer world to our inner turmoil.

Maybe the wide-open space diffuses the intensity of our feelings.

Maybe it's the timelessness that Nature holds. We feel it when we pay attention to the sights and sounds of a quiet, natural space. Mindfulness becomes irresistible.

Here are a few of my favorite places to sit with my sadness.

The Blue Ridge Mountains

The Chesapeake Bay

Or any place with big sky...

Featuring sunsets that spread spectacularly

And, best of all, the cosmos. Because no matter where I go, I can step outside and look up

What about you? Where do you go when you need Nature to hold space for you? Where can you tap into the stillness and vastness and timelessness?

Hopefully, you have places in mind. Preferably a few that are convenient and accessible.

But honestly, all you need to do, at any given moment, is step outside.

Feel your feet connect with the Earth. Feel the fresh air on your face. Breathe and sense the same air filling your lungs. Feel Nature hug you with whatever it has to offer in the moment: sun or fog or breeze or snowy silence.

Now look up at the stars, far away, ancient. Notice the vastness of nature that holds both the stars and you, with your hurting heart.

And wait.

Wait until your nerves settle.

Because they will. And it won’t take long, if you pay attention. Mere minutes.

Once you feel the shift, you can move again. Get back to whomever or whatever awaits you.

Or

You can linger. Breathe in the healing air of the timeless universe around you. Breathe out your pain, anxiety and resistance.

Nature never tires of holding space. Never struggles with compassion fatigue. It has infinite patience.

You can stay as long as you like. Return when you need to, whether it's in 10 minutes, 10 days, or 10 years.

Nature will always be there.

Nature will be there.