Photo courtesy of Lornett Vestal
The last few weeks have been challenging for all of us. More than half of all residents of the United States have been ordered to stay at home, and to maintain at least six feet of distance between themselves and others when they do go out to prevent the virus from spreading. This can be challenging when your interests or work focuses on the outdoors. During this time, the Sierra Club wants to know how staying at home is making you reconsider what the outdoors mean to you.
Has physical distancing made you reconsider what the outdoors means to you? We want to hear from you. Send us your stories through this online form.
Lornett V.: Three weeks of physical distancing have been tough for me, but not too much for my introverted partner. We consider ourselves lucky to still have jobs when so many people are out of work. We can afford to feed ourselves and our dogs. There are so many who are not so fortunate. This is time to reflect on what our next steps will be. We have taken to walking our dogs, and they get to see their favorite humans all day and every day. We live in Atlanta, and spring has come early. We are very lucky to live half a mile from a city park that is open to the public. It's not hard to practice physical distancing since this park is never too packed with people. I've taken to morning runs through my residential neighborhood. The old-growth trees in the “City in a Forest” called Atlanta are beautiful. Simply looking up can take my mind off the turbulence going on in the world today. When this all ends, people will come together to fight for a fairer and more just world. Access to nature is a human right that must be included in this fight.
Julie L.: I have a nice yard full of nature, animals, trees, and flowers, and I have immersed myself in outdoor projects these days. It is very satisfying until I remember why I have so much extra time lately. I miss being outdoors with people. I miss seeing others enjoy natural places as much as I do. I feel like I'm on a vacation far away and that I can only send pictures back home to my family and friends. That is somewhat satisfying and it will have to do for now. I miss traveling in our family RV. We have already canceled our first two trips. No Lake Monroe, Indiana, and no visits to Kentucky state parks this month. I love exploring new places with my family and friends and it is extremely important to me. The frustration and lack of control I have over the way the current administration is handling the pandemic is chipping away at my normal overabundance of optimism.
Laura D.: My daily routines have solidified during this life-altering pandemic. Morning meditations looking at my window, followed by neighborhood walks regardless of weather. I am birding more consistently and am so thankful for the upcoming migration around the Great Lakes. As a mom, I encourage my teenagers to get fresh air, exercise, and time outside while still physical distancing, no matter what. Two of my children listen and follow, knowing that afterwards their headspace is always better. However, my oldest has a good deal of anxiety in general, and walking for long distances allows more space for anxieties to creep in. She stays at home most of the time, unless she’s taking the dog out for a quick walk. I have learned that my passion for nature, for the Creator's imagination and creativity, is mine to burn furiously and that I accept others who have to manage their anxiety, fears, and uncertainties their own way. Science, evidence-based studies, and public health experts may say that access to nature is essential to a person's health, but until that person is ready to walk across the threshold of that opportunity, efforts to persuade them are moot.
Loren W.: The outdoors has always been the place I feel at home. Following an accident that left me disabled and in a wheelchair, that connection has remained. Actually, that event freed me up to be able to pursue a life as an environmental warrior. After more seriously disabling medical conditions occurred, I’ve been restricted to nursing homes. The one I am in now allows me to ride outside of the building in my wheelchair. Also, there are two courtyards. The smaller of the two has a few bushes and a few trees and is usually sparsely occupied. I have claimed that as my spot. I am so glad that I spent my younger years, prior to my accident, exploring and enjoying Gaia. Now that I am in my gray years, the computer, through the internet, allows me to protect our world as an environmental crusader.