When we go to a restaurant that offers both indoor and outdoor dining, most often we choose to stay inside. Having a climate-controlled venue isn't my primary concern. There is something about the presence of a meal that seems to be a magnet for flying insects when you are outside. However, there is something to be said for being in the great outdoors.
Last night we had dinner in the home of dear friends who live on a hilltop with an incredible view. Before the meal, we sat outside on the patio and enjoyed appetizers and conversation. The weather was outdoor-perfect and the sensation of being outdoors worked like magic. It felt good to be outdoors. More importantly it felt good to share time with friends.
When I was a kid growing up, I didn't have to be told to go outside to play. My brothers and I preferred being outside. The same was true of every other kid in the neighborhood. We played in each other's yards, rode bicycles in the street, and felt as though we were born free. In the framework of our imaginations, the sky was figuratively the limit.
In the early days of the pandemic when the government mandated a stay-in-place, avoid contact with others protocol, I often walked down the road I lived on to the highway and back. Often, I didn't see anyone else outdoors. However, the sounds of nature, the sight of water in the creek, the presence of livestock and deer along with the emergence of fresh green growth ushered in by springtime, always provided me with a sense of calm. Nature gives us a sense that we are a part of something greater than ourselves.
Shared time with friends is always beneficial. As I write this, the sound of Barbara Streisand singing "People" is now rolling around inside my head.
People who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world
We're children, needing other children
And yet letting a grown-up pride
Hide all the need inside
Acting more like children than children
A feeling deep in your soul
Says you were half now you're whole
No more hunger and thirst
But first be a person who needs people
People who need people
Are the luckiest people in the world
Why not let the day be one of refreshing stimulation? Give yourself permission to enjoy the great outdoors. More importantly, share time with a friend.
All My Best!
Don
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