Me time, giving back to our planet

For the last couple of years I have taken a day, usually in the late fall, to block out the big picture for the year to come. For some this may seem crazy and overwhelming but it gives me peace and an insurance plan that the year doesn’t fly by without the things that matter the most to me. One of my mentors inspired this habit by asking me “does your wallet and calendar reflect your values? The things that matter the most to you.” The answer was no.

As a mother of three with diverse interests, both professional and personal, I seem to be all over the place doing a million things all the time. I enjoy the sense of accomplishment but quite often these things leave me drained. When I am emotionally lost at sea or drowning in my to do list Mother Nature always does the trick. The soothing sounds of water, the humility of soil and the resiliency of trees always brings me back to my center, my power and my purpose.

Mountains Sound to Greenway Trust makes giving back to the planet simple and satisfying. Volunteers are educated on the plants, how the trust works and planting tips. Once upon a time my kids and I volunteered with them, but now it’s my “me time”. When I did my planning for this year it only took a few minutes to find that dates that worked for my monthly me time in nature and register.

As a volunteer I have met some really cool people and had interesting chats over a pile of pine tree saplings. I I once shared with one of the staff members “I don’t know about you but I really appreciate having toilet paper. So I am glad we are here ensuring there’s trees left to make it out of.” That got a good chuckle. Other days I have kept to myself shoveling my worries away and feeling a sense of joy seeing the impact a group of stranger can make.

Sincerely,

Kalika