Mexican Hat Rock, UT.
Heal I Did
The other day I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed, so I decided to go for a walk.
I headed towards a nearby meadow, and right off the bat spotted a Great Blue Heron—a bird I do not see up here very often. So that was a nice start.
Before long I passed cows, geese, hawks and ravens, all while listening to a group of coyotes howling off in the distance. Yeah, this walk was a good idea.
I then saw something I wasn’t sure I’d ever see again.
In the meadow near my house are a mated-pair of Sandhill Cranes. Big, beautiful birds. My family and I have seen them here for years and they’ve become local legends around town.
But not long ago I started seeing just one by itself. I had never seen just one before, and I assumed the other had died. For weeks I’ve been sad about that.
But during my walk, as I was approaching the spot where I typically turn around and head back to town, I saw both cranes again! They appeared healthy and happy as ever. And with them was... their new baby!
In that instant it dawned on me—the reason I stopped seeing one of the cranes for so long was not because it had died, but because it had given birth and was home caring for the little one!
Oh, I was so happy!
I hung out and watched them for a while, but it was getting dark and I started heading home. The anxiety and overwhelm that drove me on this walk had completely disappeared.
I went into nature to heal.
And heal I did.
“I go to nature to be soothed, healed and have my senses put in order.”
-John Burroughs
