Bring On National Park Week!

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”

~John Muir, Our National Parks (1901, pg. 56)

Yesterday on Instagram, we posted about our National Park Week plans! From April 16 – 24, all National Parks are admission free! For those of you in Virginia and Maryland, this offers so many options including Prince William Forest Park, Catoctin Mountain Park, several Historic Battlefields, and our personal favorite Shenandoah! As we’ve started to really hone in on our values and our reasons for why we want to simplify, experiencing more of what this incredible world has to offer has continually been at the top of our list. And nature is often at the top of THAT list. And yet, our humanity often gets in the way and we seemingly ignore the beauty and nature that is so close by – anywhere between a 20 minute and 120 minute drive. This is something we want to remedy quickly, so National Parks Week came at the perfect time to take advantage of that!

We also notice that the more time we spend in nature, the easier the act of simplification becomes. We realize how taxing it is to have too much stuff with us, mostly because we have to carry all of it! This became most apparent to me the first time I went backpacking in the Sisters Wilderness during college, when I had to pack all of my stuff and a portion of the group shelter, food, and safety equipment with me for 6 days.

Nature also has a way of treating our stress the same way it treats the air – it takes in the bad and magically transforms it to something that is more useful. With the air, the trees take in the carbon dioxide and release oxygen. For us, the trees (and mountains, and rivers, and wildlife) take in our worry and stress and transform them into fruitful contemplation, creativity, and gratitude. And science backs this up with numerous studies on the stress relieving, focus restoring, immune boosting properties of nature.

But most importantly of all, after a brief stint in the outdoors, we both feel an increased sense of connection. We return home more connected to each other, to our surroundings, and to our true desires and calling. Somehow all the “stuff” we take with us melts away for a time so we can regain a sense of clarity.

And here’s one of my favorite videos that quickly (and humorously) sums it up!

So now on to you! What do you love most about being in nature? And what are you favorite local, state, and national parks in DC, Maryland, and Virginia?