Seeing Nature Through My Daughter's Eyes

As adults, it's easy to forget the deep, instinctual connection we once had with the natural world. We get caught up in our own heads and daily routines. But children? They remember. They see the world with a clarity we've lost, and watching them can be a powerful lesson in how to reconnect.

I've always considered myself a nature spirit, taking every chance I can get to be outdoors. Since my daughter was born, I've made a point to share that with her—taking her for sunbathing on the grass as a baby, going on hikes, and making countless trips to the beach. But I've come to realize that I wasn't just showing her nature; she was showing it to me.

My daughter has such a profound and innocent connection with the world around her. She LOVES rocks. She can stare at them and touch them for the longest time, and she always wants to take them home to keep with her toys. When we go on walks, she talks to the trees and birds, greeting them with a happy, "Hi Tree, hi birdie!"

She constantly asks if we can sleep outside on the trampoline, or sometimes she'll just point to the ground and say we can put sleeping bags right there. While riding in the car, she'll watch the sky in awe. "Mom!" she'll exclaim, "The moon is following me."

Her connection is deeply emotional. The first time she realized that birds eat small bugs, she had the biggest, most sincere crying meltdown. She loves animals so much that she hates to eat meat because she knows the animal is dead. She loves nature, and in her innocent way, she knows it loves her back.

I've learned so much from watching her. She's taught me how to get outside of my own head and be child-like again—to explore the world and my surroundings as if I were seeing them for the very first time. She has helped me develop a more attuned and sensitive connection with the natural world, and for that, I am so grateful.