The sun is slowly setting in the distance. The air is crisp and the leaves are brilliant browns, reds, and golds. There is a stillness in the moment that creates an undeniable beauty. Later, when the first snow falls, everything is a blinding white perfection. During the springtime the torrential rainstorms are followed by the beauty from the flowers scattered all around. Then there are those summer days where the sun’s heat is a feeling of comfort to us all.

Nature and all of its beauty is something for which I am very much thankful. I love to step outside and be hit with a rush of fresh air. This feeling is something we all too often take for granted. When you are outdoors, it’s as if a burden has just been lifted off of your shoulders and you feel relief as you breathe in the peace and calm of nature. It’s like you and Mother Nature are having a conversation, but it is only a whisper. If you’re indoors you just won’t hear what’s going on. Being inside is like being in prison, there is no fresh air. All your senses become trapped by four walls and they are limited and restricted from the freedom that wait in the outside world.

One of the most incredible beauties of nature is the sky. We are so lucky to be here in Utah where we have one of the best views of the skies. Granted we all see the same sky all over the world, but out here in the west, it seems as if it’s just a different view. Skyscrapers and congested cities seem to bury you and bring you farther away from the sky, but out here we feel closer and like we are more in touch with the sky. It is a peaceful reminder of how we truly are small.

Personally, my favorite thing about nature is going into the mountains. Up there, you taste untouched beauty. Rocks have never been overturned; rivers are not polluted, plus, natural lakes, even endless amounts of trees. Civilization has not yet developed that land and I am thankful that it has not. When you are up in the mountains there is a feeling that you get where you are free. In the city, you are being held down. There are rules and people who won’t let you escape and be free. Those rules and people all are left behind when you are in the mountains and fully submerged in nature.

I love to listen to the trees singing their song as the wind brushes over them turning the forest into a magnificent symphony. The water is gushing down from a waterfall like the conductor keeping perfect time. In the city, we only hear noise. The loud bustle of the crowds, the rush of traffic, or even sirens of emergency vehicles that tell us something is wrong. No matter what time of year, nature is always there and something we should be grateful for and appreciate. Despite the wars that take place, the hunger that covers the streets, or the hate that we allow to fill our hearts, nature will always be perfect and show us something that is amazing and we can always be thankful for.

Nature is a place where we can all escape to and leave behind the stresses of everyday living. It’s a sanctuary that welcomes each and every one of us.