Choir Notes

Nature Brings Solace

From Music and the Spoken Word

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell • Program 4331

Not long ago, a family was feeling weighed down by the stress of life. No major problems—just the daily accumulation of demands on their schedule, decisions that needed to be made, and duties that never seemed to go away. It all began to drain their energy, tax their patience, and strain their relationships.

Then they decided to try a simple remedy—they went outside.

They spent some time away from electronics and noise; they breathed fresh air, observed nature’s stunning beauty, and were reminded that we live in a glorious world. Remarkably, almost miraculously, things somehow began to feel a little better.

In a different time and place, a young Jewish girl named Anne Frank was not able to go outside. She and her family were confined to hiding in a small apartment for two years during the dark days of World War II. But Anne came to appreciate the power of nature as she gazed out over the world from her attic window. She wrote in her diary: "The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of Nature. . . . And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.”1

Being in nature—even if only for a few minutes—just helps us feel better: a short walk or a drive to see green trees and breathe fresh air can reduce stress, lift our spirits, stimulate our senses, and activate the brain. We also can bring nature indoors with a potted plant, some fresh flowers, or a small windowsill garden. As we open our eyes to the simple beauty of nature, we will feel, as Anne Frank did, that "nature brings solace in all troubles.”

1 Diary of a Young Girl, trans. B. M. Mooyaart-Doubleday (1967), 158.