Happy Christmas (and John Muir)

By Sean Fagan

Photo from a recent camping trip, southwest Ireland. 13 hours of almost continuous rain greeted my second night of camping on this trip. But that's often winter-camping in southwest Ireland for you (it's wet!). It was an arduous camping trip - but between the strenuous exertion and occasional foul weather I had a great time. Most importantly, I greatly enjoyed the peace and solitude of nature (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Happy Christmas and Happy Winter Solstice

Tomorrow is the shortest day of the year.

For many people connected to nature it can be a potently symbolic time.

If you can, make some time to explore nature during the winter solstice and over the Christmas period.

You won't regret it.

Often, time alone in nature is all we need to recharge and reorient ourselves in a busy, demanding world.

But words fail me when it comes to explaining why nature is important for so many of us.

I'll leave that job to a great wilderness pioneer, naturalist and conservationist, John Muir...

A Seasonal Reminder...

John Muir expressed it well: "To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of wilderness".

I often quote John Muir on this website. His literary legacy resonates very strongly with me.

And for good reason.

Muir often saw the natural world as a place of wonderment and poetic grandeur. He also saw nature as a place of spiritual replenishment and inspiration.

He knew of the potential healing effects of nature in a world where modern humans were becoming increasingly disconnected from nature.

Whatever your stance on Muir's somewhat mystical outlook, one thing is for sure - nature is good for us.

I urge you to explore nature this Christmas - however briefly.

I urge you to go alone...and just sit in nature.

Maybe light a fire - to warm and settle yourself.