Years ago when I was in the corporate world I remember driving to Santa Barbara for a meeting. Now the drive from my house to Santa Barbara was about an hour. When I got to my meeting I realized that I just drove next to the Ocean for almost an hour and I never took a moment to look at it! The beauty was right there and I let it pass me by.

From that day on I vowed to slow down and no longer miss beautiful things.

Parents ask me all the time how do I go on nature walks with so many kids in my class and not worry they will run from me.

I remind the children all the time our walks are not races. Our walks are about seeing the beautiful things around us. I have them point out all the things they see because beauty is different to all of us. Each walk we take is an opportunity to introduce them to textures, smells, colors, and sounds.

I watch them pick up nature that excites them. I watch them give a leaf a new life. Sticks, rocks, flowers, even dirt has its own beauty.

Some of the children will still race….but we learn to slow down…we learn that we will see beautiful things everywhere.  Stop… Look…. Breath in all the beauty.

Surround ourselves in beauty ❤️