A Heart-Warming View

BRIGHTEVERYDAY A Heart-Warming View

Coronavirus has shaken the core of accepted values and lifestyles. When we reflect on the pandemic, we may decide to live quite differently in the new normal. It has tested us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually and given cause, and consideration, for a re-appraisal of relationships, including that to work, to others, and to the environments we live in. It has given us a breathing space, and clear sightedness of the ridiculous behaviours of modern life.

We shall perhaps live in less densely populated areas, choosing instead to look for, and pursue an undisturbed, soothing, and harmonious life in the country. There are substantial health advantages in clean, uncontaminated air, open space and with a vista of countryside, loch, or sea. It is good for the heart and soul, offering grand vistas and walks, and a plethora of free-range pursuits. It has altogether, a harmony and a chance to engage a low gear for a steep climb, rather than overdrive, to keep up with the incessant, unnecessary pace, and engine wear!

The more sedentary activities, often associated with urbanism and metropolitan living, profess a quite different lifestyle, offering a bustling excitement, urbane challenges imbued with sophistication, and diversity of cultural, often esoteric, pursuits. Predominantly on the menu of the high achiever, such delights are indeed a catalyst for the high-octane metropolitan or suburban dweller. However, with such desire, and consumption, there are often dangers, and complex consequences. There is also a distinct detachment from the natural world

There are sublime pleasures and experiences in being close to nature. The view alongside the writings is spectacular and memorable. It invokes feelings going back a lifetime, of love, family, friendships, adventures, community, and enduring mountainous beauty; islands with their secrets and stoicism, glorious skies, often glistening with northern lights and stars, and the clear, uninterrupted, vistas, oh, and….midgies! The islands are beautiful, as are the aquamarine bountiful seas; dolphins, porpoises, whales, basking shark, otters and fish aplenty, whilst soaring above, golden eagles, sea eagles, osprey, harriers, gannets, and those beautiful clear blue skies, only sometimes filled with billowing clouds, or a plethora of migrating birds.

The eye, bombarded with stunning hills and rugged, towering mountains, relaxes to a vista of glacial valleys and sense tree planting, offering a tapestry of colours and textures; greens, yellow, copper, hues of sepia and amongst the shades of reds. The light is awe-inspiring, and dancing light diffuses and pervades every land and seascape. Such is the sophistication of the pastoral world of growth, harmony and living. We should embrace the opportunity to explore and learn its’ diversity, impregnability, sophistication, and innate pluralism; that of course is, if we do not compromise, or destroy it with ignorance, neglect, and violent abuse.

Nature has provided with all the means of survival. We see growth and re-generation as a cycle of life, the fundamental tenets of humankind, one would think, and hope. There exists in our plentiful world, great, and profound, examples of harmonious proportion, and of mans’ philosophical and physical discourse with the natural world. It is now time to re-establish those basic tools, and place them in our immediate domain, so that we may, again, seek the wisdom and harmony, the respect of the gifts of life and the abundance, and welfarism, of our planet.

We can start this dialogue simply. Think about how the cycle of nature provides for us all, how we grow and reap, use our skills and spirit of endeavour, understand the significance of seasons, and most importantly, how we share and respect needs of others and the generousity of plenty. We can connect with the Mother Nature, its’ essence and with each other, in harmony.