Last week, when the rain came, I found myself awash in its energy while also dry-of-foot. I walked through the gardens and trails at Prairiewoods and found the message I needed in that moment. Donning my waterproof boots, straw hat and little blue umbrella, I held presence with the rushing stream, the dripping canopy, and the cacophony of birdsong from the canopy to forest floor.
How lucky I am to have found such a place. This is a simple but profound blessing: to get out of my own way.
There’s a fairly common Scandinavian phrase that has become my new mantra: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”
When I was little, my mother would dress my sister and me up like little dolls. We’re talking pastel-colored hoop skirts, people! Thankfully, she also let us play in the dirt and experience the world around. Even so, there is nothing quite so freeing as being dressed so that you can comfortably experience nature in any climate. It wasn’t until my 32nd birthday that I gifted myself a pair of indestructible, water-proof boots. It remains the best investment I’ve ever made. They’re not pretty, but they were (and are!) the most cherished possession I have for their simple utility. More than any other piece of survival gear, a good pair of shoes will take you far.
The weather is just weather. Humans evolved to accommodate nature’s rhythm, and our survival is still dependent on dancing with those rhythms.
Going outside every single day has brought a richness to my life. I wish the peace of communing with nature for you, though I suspect if you’re reading this, you already know. That said, if you should ever find yourself unlucky in the elements, I will walk with you. I always hold space for you under my little blue umbrella.
—Jessica Lien, Prairiewoods development coordinator