Being Outdoors is Good for the Soul

I enjoyed growing up on the “Westside” of Tuscaloosa. I grew up with my mom, stepfather, and my siblings (including my step-siblings). After the ugly process of divorce, I felt lonelier. My mother raised four children on her own. She did a great job with making sure we went to school, got good grades, and stayed out of trouble. But as an adult, I figured out how excruciating that was.

Being in an environment of survival left little time for recreational living. One of my brothers did go to the YMCA and played basketball. My sister participated in Los Amigas Junior, better known as LAJ. I hung out with friends on the block. But, we didn’t participate in outdoor recreational activities. Frankly, it wasn’t something we knew about to have any interest in.

Coincidentally, I really liked science and math in high school, especially natural sciences. We may have had one environmental class…maybe? We definitely didn’t have speakers to talk about careers in the outdoors and we didn’t go on field trips in nature. It wasn’t until I was a college graduate that the environmental profession was an option for me.?

I loved it. I loved my first job as a Public Health Environmentalist with the Alabama Department of Public Health. I was in Sanitation and there was the Food Safety. I made long-lasting friendships there and it informed the rest of my career.?

I wasn’t prepared to fall in love with being near water or being outdoors. After my move back to Alabama from DC, I began volunteering for environmental organizations in Alabama.?My volunteer work brought me into the outdoor space. I begin to enjoy being near the river. I would find relaxation and release from stress. My natural curiosity of the outdoors began and I became a bit more adventurous. I canoed for the first time. Then I went again. And I am preparing to take some trips throughout the state of Alabama that have waterfalls, glow worms, caves, and just beautiful scenery. Here are a few places where I plan to begin my excursions:

• Dismals Canyon
• Noccalula Falls
• Cathedral Caverns State Park
• Lake Point Vineyard and Winery

These are just a few beautiful attractions?that I have only recently heard of and have not been to visit. My colleagues and I have canoed at Perry Lakes Park, a hidden jewel in the Alabama Black Belt. And who could NOT go and see the Cahaba Lilies when they are in bloom? Such a beautiful site.?

It is easy to miss the beautiful things around us when it is not something that is brought to our attention. God gave us beauty in nature for us to enjoy. I recently went bird watching and it was after the passing of one of my friends. I was grieving. Seeing the nature trail and hearing the birds sing songs brought me a level of comfort for me. It gave me peace. We can go to the nature trails to experience the beautiful masterpieces of caverns, flowers, trees, wildlife, and rivers. We can also look around us to enjoy the birds and the trees near us. If you don’t have this in close proximity, people like me can help you find places near you to experience nature at its finest. Being outdoors is good for the soul.?