“The earth has music for those who listen.”
George Santayana

Babe in the woods, Serafina, hears the music. Can you see her soaking up the symphony of the frosted evergreens?

One of the best qualities of Northern California where I live is the natural beauty of the landscape under a cloak of seasons. Having lived in beach cities in Southern California for 30 years, the drone of sunny and 70s wore on me. It felt…artificial. We roll through cycles in our lives naturally and when the outdoors reflects this truism, it just feels more authentic to me.

Having said that one of my pure joys in Southern California was walking with my friend Janet at 5:00 a.m. down the strand of Torrance Beach to the Redondo Pier and watching the sun come up over the ocean. The white moon would give way to the pink sky. We’d see the dolphins playing close to the shoreline, sometimes in pods of ten or more. We’d see joggers half-asleep step out into the salty air to stretch before a run. We’d see all the fishermen casting off the pier in hopes of catching dinner.

Where I live now offers its own kind of bounty. I was watching the “Redding” channel at the gym (during the commercials on my real channel), and it said Redding is the second sunniest city in the nation with 88% sunny days. I can’t swear to you that that’s correct, and it doesn’t feel that way because there are clearly delineated seasons, but here’s the point: no matter what your weather, it is key to your health to get outside away from the fluorescents and keyboards and connect with nature.

Why? The air, the trees, the sky, the lakes or ocean–they are all working in concert for you. And, no matter where you are geographically or in the season cycle, there is something so beautiful to soak up that it will plant a health seed in you that will grow, and power you from the inside out.

Where I live now, the ground is frosty at dawn, so we wait until the white crystals have melted and we can talk without seeing our breath. We take our dog for a walk, soaking up the hundred year oaks and doves cooing from the treetops. Being in the moment with each other and with nature is our medicine. Real people, real time. Just like the sunrise walks with the dolphins.

This is how we are meant to live our lives. Full of wonder and joy. Take note from Serafina. Find a blankey, a play toy, some snuggly jammies–or your equivalent–and place yourself in a scene of beauty…and glow. You’ll be all the healthier for it. Your creativity will blossom. And you will live a longer, happier life enjoying life’s lullaby.

“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.” Martin Luther King, Jr.