Nature is natural.

Do you ever feel like you are being crushed and pressured by life?-- As if you are in a vice, and the joy of living is being sucked out of you? That's how I have been feeling lately.
Don't get me wrong; my life is awesome. I know that I'm exactly where I need to be, and I have been blessed in so many ways. But sometimes I get bogged down. I'm super grateful for my job, but I feel like I'm always there, and when I'm not there I'm thinking or dreaming about it. Customers can get really annoying sometimes, and I'm just a little sick of people not using their brains. I get this a lot:
"What's this raspberry tart thing?" um....it's a raspberry tart with raspberry mousse. "But what is it?" Really?!?
When I'm not at work, I'm at my apartment. It's a great place to live, but cleaning other people's dishes every day and washing the cruddy bathroom your roommate refuses to help clean can get old. I've been painting a lot, which I love, but sometimes when I paint I put so much pressure on myself to get it right that I forget why I'm doing it in the first place.
Eating has been a problem as well. I have money for groceries, but I would rather save it for school. And getting groceries is a never-ending chore. I'm afraid the fridge and pantry door will fall off one of these days, because I keep opening them, expecting to see a delicious meal waiting for me. One of these times, it's going to happen. I BELIEVE!
These things, as well as a few personal issues, started to crush me. I felt that if I didn't escape, I would spontaneously combust. And I am completely serious about that.
When things get out of control, the best solution for me lies in nature. I believe that being outside, away from cities or cars or people, is one of the best ways to strengthen the relationship between yourself and God. When I'm out in nature, my spirit feels free, and more alive. That might sound strange, but I feel more connected with my spirit, and I have a greater understanding of who I am.
I am very blessed to live minutes away from solitude in the mountains. This morning, I woke up early and drove up to a hiking trail that winds through the mountains above Logan. I walked until I could no longer hear the noises of Cache Valley, and found a comfortable stone to sit on that was near some amazing rock formations. I watched the sun's rays hit the tops of the peaks opposite me, and marveled at the transformation of the trees and rocks as the sun rose higher and higher. The air was crisp and clean, and the only sounds I heard were from crickets, birds, and other wildlife. My phone was off, and I forgot everything and everyone in my life.
Spending time alone in the mountains was the medicine I needed to go back to my life's routine. It really was incredible. I've been up in the mountains numerous times this summer, but never by myself. These creations of God's--trees of all kinds, rocks of all sizes, etc.--are incredible. If I could, I would drop everything for a week and live by myself in the woods. Just think of how much you could feel and learn and do!
Before the weather gets nasty, take a trip to the mountains. Autumn would be the most opportune time, as the leaves perform magic, but just go. Find a spare moment to be alone, and then forget everything. Forget about work, school, friends and family, philosophies, opinions, worries--push it all aside, and let nature do her magic. I probably sound like a Thoreau enthusiast, or a romantic environmentalist, but I don't really care. I love being outside among God's creations, and I'm so thankful for that.
In the words of a unique painter, "Happy painting (or, in this case, nature-ing), and God bless!"

I didn't take this picture, but it is a photograph of Logan Canyon. I took some awesome pictures with my phone, but I couldn't figure out how to get them on here. So, this will have to suffice.