Spending time in nature can be refreshing, and research shows it’s essential to our well-being. Beyond emotional relief, nature plays a powerful role in stress reduction and often improves overall mood. When life feels overwhelming, retreating to an outdoor space can provide refuge and a sense of connection.
The Mayo Clinic Press reported last spring on a study showing “exposure to nature can regulate the sympathetic nervous system in as little as five minutes.” Mental health practitioner and Mayo nurse Jodie M. Smith went on to write, “this means that we can get an almost immediate benefit from stepping outside.” Smith became intrigued by the benefits of nature to our health during the COVID-19 lockdown, when connecting with friends was dangerous if not outright forbidden.
I recall how important time spent outdoors was to me during the pandemic. I went for long walks in nearby forest preserves but missed my regular visits to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Like most places, the garden shut down for several months during the pandemic, denying me access to one of my favorite natural places. When my boys were young, we loved exploring the different areas of the garden, making sure to spend time in the model railroad garden that featured landmarks from around the U.S. fashioned out of natural materials. However, my favorite part of the visit was at the far end of the garden, in the Malott Japanese Garden where a uniquely shaped willow tree sat perched on the end of a pond. We came to call it ‘mom’s tree,’ since it had a special place in my heart.
Love is like a tree, it grows of its own accord, it puts down deep roots into our whole being.
—Victor Hugo
When the garden reopened in June 2020, I nearly ran to see my favorite tree, snapping the feature photo in this post that captured its misshapen beauty. I was reminded of my attachment to this corner of the garden, and this tree in particular, when listening to a recent Hidden Brain podcast episode on feelings and attachment. The interviewee, psychologist Ethan Kross, spoke of how people we are securely and positively attached to, “Can provide a real source of resilience during stressful times.” He went on to share that, “Research shows that we also develop attachments to places.”
Place attachment can be an important part of our identities; just ask anyone about the emotions felt on a return visit to a hometown or college campus. Familiar natural spaces allow us to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with our feelings. My husband Mark was introduced to my tree early in our relationship during the summer of 2021 on a visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden. When we returned to the garden that fall, I was saddened to see that a late summer storm had destroyed more than half of the willow tree, which eventually had to be removed as its trunk was deemed unstable.
On subsequent visits to the garden, I was reluctant to visit the now-empty spot in the Japanese Garden where my tree once stood. Mark would point out other beautiful willows scattered throughout the botanical garden, but it was the placement as much as the form of this other willow that I came to love. With spring’s late arrival to Chicago this year, we took our first bike ride of the season to the garden this past weekend. As we walked along a path with a view of the Japanese Garden, I spotted a young tree where my willow used to be. We immediately detoured from the path to get a closer look, and I was thrilled to see a healthy young willow placed near the rock where I’d sit and reflect under the shade of its predecessor.
I wrote a few years ago about the natural beauty of Cape Cod and how it became my happy place during my youth. And despite the distance and my infrequent visits, it still provides me with a sense of well-being. I love that I now have a connection to a natural space much closer to home and look forward to watching this young willow grow over the years and deepen its roots in my heart.
With temperatures finally warming in many parts of the country, we hope you also find time to connect with natural spots!
Language of Friendship 
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