The act of "touching grass" has transcended its literal meaning. It's no longer just about stepping outside and feeling the earth beneath your feet.
In a society increasingly reliant on screens, venturing outdoors has become a rebellion, a conscious effort to prioritize the simple joys and grounding experiences nature offers.
Nowadays, I find touching grass more rewarding than ever before. Some days, I even look forward to it, since it has also become one of the best parts of my week.
I'm not quite sure when the defining moment came but somehow I've moved towards preferring to be outside and doing relatively nothing over being inside, logged into the digital universe, exploring different mini-verses.
Just a couple years ago, it was quite the opposite, believing that the digital universe is the "real deal".
Maybe, the defining moment was realizing that reality is inescapable, as in it's the foundation upon which all experiences are built, even the digital ones.
So why touch grass in an age that's increasingly digital?
The Benefits of Touching Grass
Well, maintaining a balance perspective, firstly. When you're over immersed in this ever expanding digital universe, you tend to lose touch with the present moment, the simple joys of the physical world, and the genuine connection you can have with nature and the people around you.
Sometimes, you even lose your ability to tell the difference between a real cat and a cleverly rendered meme!
I think the ability to discern between a real experience and a digital simulation might become increasingly difficult. This is precisely why grounding yourself in nature is so crucial.
Because it provides a necessary reality check, a much-needed dose of perspective. Besides that, I appreciate the fact that it reminds me of my place in the grand scheme of things and see my digital worries from a different viewpoint.
Secondly, clarity, as in boosting creativity and problem-solving skills.
Being a writer, I'm no stranger to writer's block. Sometimes, staring at a blank screen can feel like staring into a digital abyss.
I've found that spending time in nature is a powerful antidote. In my experience, a "tunnel perspective" is broken by a shift in focus and a broader view of the situation when I immerse myself in nature.
But clarity is more than just boosting creativity. I think there are dimensions to it. Being immersed in Nature also creates this experience of mental stillness, like quieting the internal chatter and entering a flow state, not even to create something but to just be there without any purpose, so to speak.
That dimension of clarity is invaluable, especially in a world that often feels so superficial.
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At least we are still conscious about the benefits of connecting with nature. I wonder if future generations will even understand what they are missing... If you never experienced something, you don't know you are missing anything.
My family and I have a word to describe many kinds of the new generation tomatoes, without a distinctive taste and smell we were used to: we call them plastic (as in artificial). But someone who never experienced what we call the "real tomatoes", doesn't know they are eating... well... plastic (that's an exaggeration, to make a point, of course). That's what probably will happen to new generations and pretty much everything related to nature (and eating).
Soooo true! The naturalness of Nature is gradually fading away, degrading and future generations would only be able to imagine what real tomatoes, oranges or other fruits and vegetables taste like. For me, what's saddening is the part on missing something you're not even much aware of because you had the chance to be aware of it whilst it was around but you were distracted!
Thanks for stopping by :)