In the midst of the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty surrounding the novel coronavirus pandemic, nature has a lot to offer. Here are a few valuable life lessons that can help guide us through these turbulent times:
1. The Importance of Community
One thing nature does really well is teamwork. Honeybees are a great example of this! Individual bees cannot survive without the support of the colony and have specific tasks to perform to ensure the colony thrives. While queens are extremely powerful within their societies, they cannot survive without the help of drone and worker bees who provide fertilization, food collection, protection and construct the hive.
Like honey bees, we all have our own individual role to play to reduce the impact of this virus, protect our loved ones, and ourselves. Whether you’re staying home, a grocery store clerk, a construction worker, a food delivery driver, a nurse or any other essential service worker - we all have to do our part to support and protect our communities. Remember, we’re all in this together.
2. Small Things Make A Big Difference
Even small things in nature play a large role. While trees and plants are capable of living in remarkably harsh environments, scientists have discovered that they receive help from microbe (bacteria) communities living near their roots. These tiny microbes can actually keep trees alive when threats strike by delivering nitrogen or excess water when the trees communicate through chemical signalling that they need help!
Just as in nature, the small things we do can play a larger role when facing adversity. Social distancing, proper hand washing and cleaning frequently touched surfaces daily are a few small things we can all do to help protect ourselves and others.
3. Nature Doesn’t Hurry
As Lao Tzu said, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished”. One of the best lessons in patience comes from Mother Nature, she teaches us to allow time for things to unfold. Just watch a sunset, the growth of a seed into a new plant, or a flock of birds migrating.
With the current situation around the globe, many have been forced to adopt the slower pace of nature. Whether you’re alone or cooped up with loved ones, take this opportunity to create and grow. Work on mindfulness and gratitude, try new recipes, focus on self-care, or take a long walk in nature. While it’s not easy to face sacrifices like social distancing and isolation, the greatest power we have right now is patience.
4. The Best Things In Life Truly Are Free
Nature gives us a lot for free. While the rise of technology, industry and commerce may have distanced us superficially from nature, it has not changed our reliance on the natural world. Beyond the physical goods nature provides - food, water, materials for shelter - it also provides a multitude of health benefits.
You don’t have to go farther than your backyard to experience the many benefits of Mother Nature. Simply being in nature reduces anger, fear and stress. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical well-being by reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and the production of stress hormones. So get outdoors as long as it is safe and be sure to keep your distance from others.
5. Good Always Follows the Bad
Fog lifts. Clouds break. Storms pass. The sunshine always follows the rain. Nature works in cycles and teaches us that the bad is inevitable, but it is always followed by something good. Times are uncertain and nerves are on edge, but nothing is permanent. Soon enough this storm will pass, the lavender will bloom and we will feel the warm summer sun on our faces once again.
© 2020 Terre Bleu Lavender Farm Inc.