I’m sure most people who experience the blues have their own way of dealing with them—a way of keeping themselves from staying bogged down for too long.
I know I do.
What has always worked for me, and still does to this day, is remarkably simple.
I go outside.
I take a walk. I watch the birds at play. I watch the cat crouched in the grass, absolutely convinced he’s about to surprise the squirrel who has probably known he was there all along.
Or sometimes I do nothing at all.
I simply sit still and watch my animals interact with one another.
There is something about nature that changes things.
It is a powerful force, and surely one God gave us for many reasons. Chasing away the blues may be only one of them.
Nature has a way of bringing unexpected joy. It puts a smile on your face. It creates that little tug in your chest—that quiet emotion that reminds you to be grateful.
Of course, I realize it isn’t always so simple.
There are times when sadness runs much deeper than something a walk can cure. But in my own life, I’ve learned that when I can find the motivation to step outside—to walk, to watch, to drive, or simply to be still—something begins to shift.
My mood changes.
My spirit feels lighter.
And somehow the world seems a little more manageable again.
Maybe that’s one of the gifts animals and nature give us.
They don’t ask us to explain what’s wrong.
They don’t need us to have everything figured out.
They simply invite us to be present.
And sometimes, that’s enough.
— SK Scott
