The Restorative Melody of Nature
Reading in bed before I turn out the light is one of my favorite simple pleasures. Last month, I was looking for a more meditative read and chose “The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year” by one of my favorite essayists, Margaret Renkl.
This compilation of 49 essays is a warm invitation to slow down and discover the restorative power of nature, regardless of where you live. Renkl’s half-acre home in Tennessee serves as a rich and ripe environment for her observations and reflections of the natural world.
I offer some of her observations here as an invitation for us all to unwind and be nourished by the nature in our backyards and walking trails.
Beauty In the Ordinary
Renkl has a keen ability to create a beautiful melody over the seemingly mundane — from toads to bluebirds — drawing attention to the intricacies of the world around her. She finds meaning and beauty in each season of life in her garden, encouraging us to look to nature for solace and comfort in moments of loss, change, or renewal.
An excerpt:
“Even now, with the natural world in so much trouble – even now, with the patterns of my daily life changing in ways I don’t always welcome or understand – radiant things are bursting forth in the darkest places, in the smallest nooks and deepest cracks of the hidden world. I mean to keep looking every single day until I find them.”
Since reading Renkl’s book, I’ve been slowing down on my walks with Gracie. Every time I pause to look up at the sky, or take a closer look at a blossom, I’m rewarded and nourished.
“The Comfort of Crows” is a testament to the restorative power of nature and the importance of taking the time to observe and connect with the world around us.
It is a profound reminder that the wonders of nature are always within reach, if only we take the time to sit still and pay attention.
Even for just a few moments.
Enjoy.
