I went for a hike the other day – for the first time in years, really. It was exactly what I needed. It was beautiful. 

Let me backtrack a moment. 

At this point, I’ve been working from home, fulltime, for almost six months. And while I enjoy it thoroughly, I miss being outside regularly. 

My past career had me smackdab in the middle of a wilderness setting, backed by a landscape of lakes, trees and the great Canadian Shield. 🏞

Now, I’m sitting in my home office on the 12^th floor of a high-rise 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. An exaggeration, but you get the idea – an escape from the urban jungle was long overdue. 

Coming from the city, the first thing you notice is how quiet the woods are. But after a while, the forest comes to life with sound; it’s funny how loud silence can be.  

Of course, it’s a different kind of cacophony. 

There’s more melody, a sort of music in the air, with the trees caressing each other as the wind whispers through their bare branches. The crunch of leaves, snap of a twig, and the animals jostling about – they all sing in unison. 

It’s a restorative symphony orchestrated by nature. 🎶 And your footsteps become a part of that earthy concerto.

Friendly smiles from passersby –
a gentle reminder of faith

The musical hum floating through the wilderness has a magical effect on people. It reinvigorates inspiration, refills motivation, and re-energizes your will to overcome that which holds you back. 

🕊 Proven to relieve stress, anxiety and depression, a short time in the woods turns the sourest of moods into something much sweeter, bringing peace to a chaotic mind. 

It can restore your faith in humanity, too. 

Everyone you meet along the trail is sure to greet you with a friendly smile or nod of the head. And though few words are ever spoken, the importance of kindness and the sense of togetherness rings clear. 

So, when the darkness of the world starts closing in, escape to the woods and go for a hike – what you experience on the trail is a gentle reminder that this too shall pass.  

I’ll see you out there. ✌