connecting with nature

If you’re a city dwelling digital native like me, you have to make an actual effort to spend time outdoors.

People say, “lets go to the beach”. People say, “lets go to the park”. They get there, and they pull out their phones and start scrolling. They get to the one place that has the power to relieve them of the digital burden of the internet plaguing the other 23 hours of their lives, and still they pull out their phones and start scrolling. Even better, they start taking pictures so that they can brag on social media about how connected with nature they are, and how balanced their lives are, and how much fun they’re having.

It’s a blasphemy against mother nature herself.

There was a period in my life when I would watch the sunset everyday. I didn’t know why I was doing it at the time, but I later learned that the peacefulness and predictability of a sunset was my one source of contentment amidst the chaos of my mid life crisis. I would go and watch the sunset on the beach for 20 mins and then return to my life, surrounded yet again by screens.

What fascinated me the most were the people that were standing next to me on those evenings. They were doing literally everything and anything EXCEPT for watching the sunset.

Mother nature has painted the sky with beautiful bright colours. Not only is this a miracle in itself, but the ephemerality that no sunset will ever be the same, makes the moment even more special. Time is valuable precisely because of its limited supply. A sunset is mother nature reminding you stay humble in the face of the magnificent unknown. To relinquish control and enjoy the time that you have. To be connected with the present moment. Right here. Right now.

The internet has corroded the foundation of what it means to be a self actualized individual. In today’s world, people don’t have beautiful fulfilling moments unless they post them online for others to see. Here, look at this shitty photo I took of a sunset. Don’t you wish you got to enjoy it like I did?

People say, “stop and smell the roses”. I say, “put your phone down and enjoy the view”.

what a beautiful view…