Sometimes, it only takes a birdsong to cheer you up.

All my life, I've relished the nature around me. Sadly, I'm often allergic to it as well, but I don't let that get me down. It's fun watching ants, listening to the birds, playing in the water, and finding shapes in the clouds. Birdsong is generally recognized to be cheerful and lovely to hear, it's incredible how they never miss a note and are constantly happy to belt their songs out to the whole world. Then there's the glorious sound of flowing water, wind through trees, waterfalls, smelling flowers, and the list goes on.

I wonder why we don't simply sit back and enjoy nature more often? We rush to and fro, doing many important things, yet hardly spare the time to take in the glories everywhere else. However, nature gets along just fine and is always there when we finally open our eyes. I heartily encourage everyone to relax in the glories of the natural world (except mosquitoes, the little winged monsters). When I was little, we took many vacations just to see natural wonders--the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, many mountains, the Great Plains, and even Carlsbad Caverns (a magnificent hole in the ground).

One of my great regrets is that I haven't given the same gift of experience to my children. Vacations just haven't worked out all that often, though we have had some. Spending time with your family is important, and if you can include a grand wonder then so much the better. Missing that, you can easily go outside, grill some hamburgers, and play in the grass. Then, sit back and find animals and teapots in the clouds. Nature is fun!

- M