Rewild & Slow

Day 21: Eleanor Cheetham

Where do we go from here?

I’m sat recording these thoughts on a slightly damp patch of earth at the top of Grasshills. From here I can see the roof of our house burnt orange in the early afternoon sun, the pheasantry with two buzzards mewling just above the treeline, sheets stretched in the cold breeze, and of course, the grassy hills that lead down the field and behind, beyond. Today, amidst emails and research, this is what my connection with nature looks like, but tomorrow will no doubt be something completely different. There’s no right way to do it.

Your rewild and slow might be something simple. like a walk after lunch to blow away winter thoughts and blast into the new season. Or it could be eating dinner or having a coffee outside with family, friends, loved ones. Ten minutes snatched here or there to share in a moment, to feel a part of something bigger. Because if we are nature, if we are within it, then we join everyone else in this world. If we wish to connect with the natural world and the seasons, then we’re willingly entering into this wider cycle, an earth community that guides us all.

Of course, as an introvert, some days all I want to do is be on my own, and connection with people, as well as the wild, is the last thing on my mind. But really we’re never on our own; we don’t exist in isolation, rather everything affects us and we in turn impact everything and everyone too. I suppose this reflection and this final piece for the project is intended to be a encouragement, that when we rewild, when we slow and follow our own path, to step into it with joy, passion, and with an openness for what is yet to come. Take courage and share this newfound awareness, this awakening, and bring along others for the ride, because if we’re ever going to sort out this huge mess that the world is in, we need to be in this together: humanity, animals, the elements, everything. We are all linked in this overarching natural cycle. It's time to step into the cycle, to leave behind what we’ve become accustomed to, what is expected.

Our brains are wired to take the easy route, but we’ve been taking that option for far too long, and we now face the challenge of rewiring our brains in order to opt for a different path. So it feels quite difficult to start with, especially as our time and energy levels are depleted and we have to really think about what we're trying to achieve. But eventually this new route will become the easiest, and we won't have to actively seek out a connection to the wild, because we will feel part of it.

If it all seems a bit much now, if you feel like it’s pointless to try because two minutes breathing out the window or noticing the first snowdrop isn’t going to make a difference - keep going, persevere; habits don’t form themselves. It’s not necessarily going to be easy, but it you believe in the process then you will keep moving forward. Whatever small step you take is a step in that direction and it is so much better to be a tiny part of the solution than a part of the problem.

Rewild and slow might not be the easy option, but it is the journey I want to take and the one I’ll be on for life. There will always be weeks or even months when I don’t feel I’m doing enough, but that’s ok, because this - as with all things - is a cycle.  Spring is always on the horizon. She’s calling.

Are you ready?