Whether you escape to a long sandy beach, the top of a mountain, or the bank of a river, there is something inherently meaningful when visiting treasured places outdoors. Not only are these spots beautiful, but being there allows time for reflection and increased spirituality which often brings people closer to God and/or delivers inner peace.
Enjoy these famous words of notable people from which we can learn the value of time spent in nature:
Lord Byron (He was a British poet and satirist and a leading figure of the Romantic age. He lived from 1788 to 1824 and is known as one of the greatest English poets.)
“There is a pleasure in the
pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the
lonely shore,
There is society, where
none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music
In its roar:
I love not man the less,
but Nature more.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (American essayist, lecturer, and philosopher who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He lived from 1803 to 1882. Waldo is well known for his poetry and for the famous essay, Self-Reliance.
“The earth laughs in flowers.”
Sir John Lubbock (1st Baron Avebury, 4th Baronet, was an English banker, politician, philanthropist, and scientist. He lived from 1834 to 1913 and is known for his contributions in archeology and ethnography.)
“Rest is not illness,
and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day,
listening to the murmur of the water,
or watching the clouds float across the sky,
is by no means a waste of time.”
John Muir (Known as “John of the Mountains” and “Father of National Parks,” this influential Scottish American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, and advocate, lived from 1838 to 1914. He was an early advocate for the preservation of wilderness.
“Between every two pines
there is a doorway
to a new world.”
&
“I only went out for a walk,
and finally concluded to stay out till sundown,
for going out,
I found,
was really going in.”
Albert Einstein (German-born theoretical physicist widely regarded as the greatest of all time. He is best known for developing the theory of relativity. He lived from 1879 to 1955.)
“Look deep into nature,
and then you will understand
everything better.”
Helen Keller (Author and disabilities rights advocate who lost her sight and hearing after a bout of illness before the age of two. She lived from 1880 from 1968 and is known for overcoming adversity with the help of teacher Anne Sullivan.)
“To me a lush carpet of pine needles
or spongy grass
is more welcoming
than the most luxurious
Persian rug.”
Oscar Hammerstein II (American lyricist, who lived from 1895 to 1960, was a
librettist and theatrical producer and director. He was the winner of eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards for Best Original Song. Throughout his career, he co-wrote over 850 songs for vocalists and jazz musicians.)
“The hills are alive
With the sound of music
With songs they have sung
For at thousand years
The hills fill my heart
With the sound of music
My heart wants to sing ev’ry song it hears”
&
“Climb every mountain
Ford every stream
Follow every rainbow
Till you find your dream”
F. Scott Fitzgerald (American novelist, essayist, short story, and screenwriter who lived from 1896 to 1940) is best known for his third novel, The Great Gatsby, published in 1925.)
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees,
just as things grow in fast movies,
I had that familiar conviction
that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
Humans have an intense connection to nature that has been prevalent throughout time and needs solitude and reflection. Thus, many feel inspired to spend time on earth, taking in the sights and sounds around them. The observations of the above authors encourage us to similarly find inspiration, joy, and comfort in the great outdoors. They beckon us to be curious and passionate, to live life fully, and to be our best. Whether one is watching the sunrise over the bay or the sunset over the plains, or observing blades of grass, dew drops, or snow-covered pines, there is much beauty and spirituality to discover in nature’s backyard.