“There are in our existence spots of time,
 That with distinct pre-eminence retain
 A renovating virtue, whence, depressed
 By false opinion and contentious thought,
 Or aught of heavier or more deadly weight,
 In trivial occupations, and the round
 Of ordinary intercourse, our minds
 Are nourished and invisibly repaired;
 A virtue, by which pleasure is enhanced,
 That penetrates, enables us to mount,
 When high, more high, and lifts us up when fallen”

–       William Wordsworth, The Prelude

I think I was most captivated by chapter 5, The Country and the City, while reading the second half of The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton. In this section de Botton references William Wordsworth quite often while exploring the psychological effects nature has on humans. I am profoundly drawn to nature and always feel mentally renewed after spending time in nature – whether it’s the forest, the beach, or just sitting outside on some stairs. One of the reasons Washington state caught my attention is because of the vast amount of trees and the amount of rain the PNW receives. I am originally from a small, hot city in California where all the grass and trees are dying and the only experience of seeing a beautiful, green landscape is maybe during spring (if there’s been enough rain) or if you travel 2 cities away to go to a “famous” Vineyard. Green happens to be my favorite color and I never cease to be in awe at how many lush green trees are around just The Evergreen State College. I find myself walking around campus (generally away from red square) thinking about how much I love the college I go to and how lucky I am to practically live and study in a forest.  I am always grateful for any drop of rain that we get because I know the trees and plants thrive because of it. I know that even if I am a little bummed that I will be thankful for the rain in the future. It has also given me a deeper appreciation of the sun – Now on sunny days I am grateful whereas in California I became resentful of the sun because it just meant another hot day searching for shade.
California has been in a drought for years and it’s gotten to the point where the lake park in my hometown has completely dried up. When I visited in September of 2014, I was able to walk to the center of the lake – which had been full of life since before I was born. This experience was mind-boggling… I couldn’t believe that the place I broke my foot when I was 4, the place I accidentally threw my fishing pole in when I was 7, the place I had gone swimming every summer, and the place I went to experience a little piece of nature had practically vanished. I think the depth of appreciation I have for nature has stemmed from growing up in a less than beautiful city that rarely gets any rain. Perhaps in its own way, it is beautiful… Because everything has beauty to it, it just has somewhat of a dreary feel to it because everything around you is dying because it can’t get the proper care.

There is no way I would ever be able to live in the city I grew up in again, especially after living in the PNW for a little over 3 years now. Being farther from the ocean has been a tough transition, but being surrounded by forests has been a good compromise.

“These trees gave off an impression of astonishing health and exuberance. They seemed not to care that the world was old and often sad… These trees provided a ledge against which I could rest m thoughts; they protected me from the eddies of anxiety and, in a small way that afternoon, contributed a reason to be alive” (152).

Whenever I feel myself becoming ungrounded or overwhelmed, I realize it’s when I haven’t explored the forest or been to the ocean in a while. I often feel this longing to become one with nature and as essential as water is for life, nature is for (my) psychological well-being. It certainly doesn’t mean it fixes everything but I find it helpful to take a day, or even just a few hours, to ditch electronics for the most part and just absorb what this world has created without much impact of humans. I feel more balanced and grounded after. A sense of peace and gratitude consumes my body and any distressing thoughts or emotions that proceeded.  I am looking forward to finding spots in Portland that can bring a similar feeling.