The summer can be a gift if you let it be one. Hot days, remembering childhood summers, or a vacation in the mountains can remind you of the time to read and relax you once had. A strenuous hike can make you feel like your mind has been cleansed of all disturbing thoughts.

There is a lot of noise in the world around us, as well as a lot of negative emotional energy. There are things that need attending to, but not all the time, and certainly not with a high alert response all the time. Little things we do on a regular basis can make a difference. So can taking time to be alone with nature. It allows our bodies and minds to recalibrate, to think more clearly and more powerfully than worrying all the time can manage.

This photo is a perfect illustration of that. The photographer noted they had decided to stop and relax for a bit. Shortly after the picture was taken someone let them know there was a bear on the trail and they needed to get back to the car. The bear was on the trail whether or not they were worrying about it during the moments they were enjoying the warmth of the sun and sound of rushing water. Even after they learned of the potential danger, they still had the moment. They hadn’t robbed themselves of it beforehand.

Today, take some time to sit in some natural setting (if possible) and forget about the noise, potential danger (real and imagined). Center yourself to focus on the positive in your life as an antidote to the overly-wrought world around us. Turn off your devices.

Breathe.

Just be.

It’s okay.