Spring and Summer are great times to connect with nature—whether that nature is in your personal animal companions or the wild world around you outside. I strive to fit a little nature time in every day. Ideally this include sitting outside in my "sit spot”—a quiet space in my yard for a few minutes to an hour, just depending on my day. The longer and more regularly I sit, the more the animals and birds become accustomed to my presence and get on with their daily work of gathering food, nest materials, mates, whatever is needed in the season, and announcing and defending their territories.

There are so many simple, yet very complex lessons that can be learned from the natural world. The thing that continues to amaze me is that no matter what is going on in my life or the greater human world, here in this little corner life continues on, day to day just as it always has. It has to, or the creatures would not survive, and of course they have their own daily life struggles to contend with. The plants have such incredible survival instincts as well. This is obvious when you see the dandelions and other "weeds" pushing up between sidewalks, striving to continue on no matter what.

I invite you to take some time during these fabulous seasons that pull us outdoors more and more, to stop and just sit quietly, even if only for a few minutes, and marvel at the life that surrounds you and know that it will persevere, adapting and changing form, it continues on.