Share a story to inspire others!
Nothing in our inherent humanness prescribes a hierarchy of worthiness, yet we have learned to judge ourselves and others through our human stories of history and culture. These patterns of judgment plague our social systems in the narratives our minds create about what it means to belong, what it means to be successful, and what it means to be a good person. Let us heal these patterns of pain by retelling our human stories of belonging in nature.
Please share a moving experience from your life that involves the beauty of nature—whether that be an evocative landscape you’ve encountered, a moment of connectedness with another being, or an unforgettable testament to your sacred human nature.
May these heart-felt stories inspire each of us here to realize our unconditional worthiness to belong wherever we are and help us embody our empowerment to be our most authentic selves.
I will start with my story. It happened when I was completing my forest therapy guide training. A part of my ego believed that more participants attending the walk (i.e., more popularity) meant a higher self-worth for me. When the numbers were low, I worried that nobody would show up. But after one of the walks, I realized that I could trust that things happen for a reason. Those who signed up but didn’t come were probably not aligned with the “container” needed for the walk because it was clear to me that those who came got what they needed.
After the walk, I stayed to reflect on my ego’s childish beliefs and the insight that “the act of service is not about me!” When I was on my way home, an older woman in a blue shirt in front of me opened her arms out and turned around. She made a remark about the weather and we smiled at each other. She then stopped and gave me a little card. The only thing on the card was the following statement: “Everything we do has a ripple effect, make the world a better place by smiling and showing kindness to another even if he or she is a stranger. You’ll never know what will come of it, but you’ll have made someone smile for sure!”
At that moment, I thought she was a guardian or earth angel, who came to remind me to keep on trusting. I have the card taped up to remind me that there is definitely magic and serendipity in the world.