The greenery surrounds me, just as if it were a hug

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a very sensitive person, but there’s one thing in particular that stands out. Sometimes, when I’d leave the house and visit places where I could see nature, I’d play a sort of game: without even thinking about it, whenever I was walking and a plant touched me in some way, it meant that, in some way, it approved of me.

Obviously, this idea stemmed from the fact that, from a very young age, my parents taught me that I couldn’t go through life picking flowers or pulling up plants because they’re living beings and they feel. So, since I made an effort not to pick flowers so as not to hurt the plants, the fact that they would come close to me meant that I’d been doing something right.

​Why am I telling you this story? Because this relationship I have with nature—even though I don’t have a lot of plants at home, I do like them and appreciate visiting places where I can see them—means I can’t help but remember this childhood experience every time I walk past a tree and suddenly one of its branches brushes against my arm or something like that. On this particular walk, I remembered this childhood experience and all the times I observed nature in such an innocent and pure way.

​So this time, as I was walking to the bus stop—a walk that took me at least ten minutes—I came across several trees and plants that I’ve been observing for a few years now. This feeling that life is completely different when there’s greenery all around me came over me, reminding me that I’m someone who truly enjoys nature.

And it’s really crazy, because even though I was born in the city and currently live in the city, what impresses me aren’t the buildings, the structures, or anything like that—it’s seeing how even plants sometimes grow out of the asphalt, and how strong they can be. On days when I can’t stand being in the city anymore and there’s no chance of traveling anytime soon—like on today’s walk—I just look around, searching for that breath of fresh air.

​And I find it in a blue sky full of clouds, in the birds that fly nonstop despite being in a place that lacks color, and also in the plants. So seeing them grow above everything that’s been built around them is a way for me to lift my spirits and remind myself that, even though I’m here right now, I can keep trying and will always find something beautiful to look at—something that brings me a little peace amid all this concrete.

​Maybe the breeze is on my side, and as I walk, one of those plants brushes against my hair and my arms to remind me of my childhood—how beautiful it is, from a very young age, to be able to appreciate what nature has to offer, and to somehow feel a hug from my Creator, gaining the strength to deal with everything that sometimes feels as heavy as asphalt.