Today was a brilliant day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and as it was pretty cool inside and I wanted to be warm, I went outside and laid on an outdoor lounger on the patio, but behind the screen. It lets the light in, the warmth of the sun, but not the UV rays.
As I laid there in the sun, I got to thinking about how these days, people seem so much less connected to nature, at least in Australia. Back in the day, our people used to be all about going outside after work/school to play in the park, see our friends, walk the dog, meet up for a chat. We used to see our neighbours and greet them on the way. We used to stop and smell the roses in someone’s garden, share gardening tips, invite each other in for a cuppa.
We have slowly gone away from all that, and I think that is mainly due to technology. Technology now provides our entertainment, it gives us tools to use to communicate with others, it lets us search for information. It takes us away from our life outdoors, connecting with nature. It makes our life easier, more convenient, but less personal.
I know that I always feel great when I get outdoors and spend some time in nature, under the sun. Sometimes I feel as if I am the only one enjoying time uncomplicated by modern technology. How many people have ‘friends’ on facebook, but no friendships in real life? How impersonal will this world get? .
I think being outdoors and being in the sun, actually has healing properties in itself. Remember back in the good old days when some hospitals had sun-rooms for patients? I was thinking about that today, and I thought, the sun in itself is beneficial. It makes us feel good, it has healing properties.
We all think of the sun as being this big bad orange orb in the sky that will burn our skin if we stay out under its rays too long. It does though, give us Vitamin D, a vital mineral for the health of bones. Doctor’s urge us to spend time in the sun, just a little bit, every day, to help our bones absorb more calcium.
Or, alternatively you could stay inside with all your gadgets and take a vitamin pill. Why? The sun is FREE. And you can enjoy it whenever you want (if it’s not raining).
Sure, technology has it’s place in our lives, but it can’t replace nature, and the feeling we get when we are out in nature. Plus, when it comes down to it, everything we know on this earth, uses energy from the sun. Plants, humans, machines, clothing, food, etc, is all using energy from the sun. So, our main gift in life, is from the sun, the element that we have come to fear.
Instead, should we not be giving thanks to the sun for it’s energy, for giving us that energy, for enabling our life. I really feel grateful that I have this opportunity, almost every day, that I can go outside and feel that warm sun on my face, the wind stirring my hair, the dragonflies and butterflies fluttering around, the birds chirping in the trees. I give thanks to this wonderful universe that we are in, Now.
No matter how far technology takes us in this world, we should not forget where we came from, otherwise where we are going to will be a very sad place indeed.
