January 2025
By: Ty Mcfarland, Director of Communications for NCLCVF, city of Raleigh, NC & 2024 Fellow
It feels like there isn’t enough sunlight this time of year. It gets dark earlier, and we all need to bundle up. But these changes in seasons remind us there is a time for rest and recuperation and a time for the hustle and bustle. Maybe right now you are in the hustle and bustle season and feel energized to work. That’s wonderful, and you can stop reading and come back to this later. But when you do need some time for reflection and reconnection with nature, I hope you’ll come back to this article. Often in trying to bring about the change we so desperately need in our communities, we ignore the time to rest, and rest well. For example, spending hours scrolling on social media probably doesn’t count as resting well. What is part of resting well is reconnecting with the environment, and that can feel hard when it’s cold outside. Here are some quick ways to reconnect with the environment during the darker months: listen to the rain or snow play in the leaves go on a short hike provide water and care for your houseplants cook/enjoy the food of the season wrap yourself in a blanket near a window There are many other ways to connect with the environment during the winter months.
What do you do? Let us know! Email us at bcfellowship@nclcvf.org.
