Being in the most clean, well-organized home doesn’t satisfy the soul like being in the wild outdoors.

It’s a great irony that though the outdoors is messy, more filled with bacteria and more inundated with insects, yet it is more full of peace and joy than any house.

Research in the journal Nature Scientific Reports shows that spending a minimum of two to three hours a week outdoors significantly impacts not only one’s physical health but also their overall satisfaction with life. This doesn’t depend on socioeconomic status, culture, or even the aesthetics of one’s neighborhood. Any saturation in nature — gardening, hiking, bird watching, tree climbing, or simply sitting — is therapeutic.

In yards and parks and streets lined with trees, our bodies and our spirits gain peace and joy from immersing ourselves in nature.

God gave nature into our care. He created it as the setting for our lives. We weren’t designed for hairdryers, pens, phones, paper, and toys. We were created alongside animals, trees, and flowers. In God’s most perfect earthly environment, the Garden of Eden, all we needed was nature and Him.

It’s good to go back to the basics and enjoy God’s foundational works, listen to His voice, and rest in His creation.