Take 2 Sunny Days and Call Me Next Week – #WATWB
Ah, the great outdoors. Arguably, there’s little that ails us that a day in the forest can’t heal. I’ve long revered the healing powers of nature. The good news this week is that now the Canadian government is acknowledging the benefits of nature on human health, too.
I’m pleased to inform you that some of our Canadian brothers and sisters are now eligible for annual national park passes in the form of a prescription. Yes, a prescription! Though passes are limited in number initially, availability is expected to increase as the program matures. You can read all about it in the following article from the Washington Post:
Doctors in Canada can now prescribe national park passes to patients
Though I’d love to see the idea catch on everywhere, for most of us, it doesn’t require a national parks pass to get out to enjoy a walk, a city park, or just a nice spot outside to observe the beauty of nature for a bit. Whether you can get out for a only few minutes at a time, or a day or more… deliberately spending time appreciating our awe-inspiring planet on a regular basis is guaranteed to get the body, mind and soul in top form.
At the end of each month, we bloggers are given an opportunity to post good news, offering an antidote to bad news in our feeds. For every dark, negative story out there, there is a positive, heartwarming story that will add some light and lift the human spirit. #WATWB was started in March 2017; we’ve been sharing positive, uplifting stories to inspire, give hope and motivate others for many years now. This month’s co-hosts are Sylvia McGrath and Belinda Witzenhausen. Please check out their blogs and say hello.
Lizbeth Hartz is the author of the true crime, true love memoir Angel Hero, Murder in Hawaii, A True Story. Get it on Amazon or sign up to read the 1st chapter free.
Being out in nature is a great part of my emotional therapy, Lizbeth. You can keep your malls and amusement parks as I prefer to be out in the woods, near a lake or river, or in the middle of a field of wildflowers. It’s what makes me happy.
I am happy to see that Canada is offering entry to its national park system in the form a prescription. I hope many take advantage of this opportunity. Thanks for sharing!
I’m with you, Mary; I feel the same way. I’m happy Canada is doing this, too, and hope other nations follow her lead, because I think the world needs more happiness, especially during these days. Thanks very much for commenting, and wishing you a wonderful week.
You know I live in Toronto and had no clue about this! I would love my Dr to prescribe this. As a decompression treat I love visiting parks as day/weekend trips, I will definitely look into this. Thanks so much for being a part of #WATWB. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Thanks for commenting, Belinda, and thanks for all the wonderful posts you’ve made throughout the years, they are so soulful. When I think of Canada I think of all the great musicians from there (Joanie Mitchell comes first to mind) and your fantastic leader Trudeau and remember the trip I took in a VW bug with a boat on top, from Alaska through Canada with my dad and brother in 1966 along the Alcan highway. And how stunningly beautiful your country is. And once Trump came into power, I wished I could move there. I’ll miss our #WATWB posting. Wishing you a lovely week.