Slow mo
I don't know if you have heard of Dara McAnulty. I heard him being interviewed on Foyle Radio last week, and was told he was being interviewed by Radio 4 as his new book, 'Diary of a Young Naturalist', was chosen as their book of the week. (Love the t-shirt!)
I see he has been interviewed by Zoe Ball, and JK Rowling is singing his praises. Who is he? He is a sixteen year old from Castlewellan, who has a diagnosis of autism, and a gift for stopping and looking at nature, seeing the detail, and describing it. He absolutely loves nature, and feels its benefit-a true naturalist.
Dara has written in his book about how difficult it was for him to move home and school, and how getting out into the Mournes, and exploring them, helped him overcome and deal with all of that. Another author, Lucy Jones, has written that, 'The evidence that contact with nature-even a view out of a window-can enhance healing continues to grow.' How much better is it for us to get out into nature and take time to watch and wait, if we can.
Do you ever watch those slow mo films of plants unfurling or flowers blooming? It is amazing to see what happens so slowly and steadily right in front of our eyes yet we often do not notice at all.
I was reminded of a poem which talks about stopping and staring, taking things in, and not rushing by.
Dara McAnulty has discovered the joy and benefit of this, and has been able to share it in a brilliant way in his book, posts etc. So whatever else we do this weekend, a little lying on our bellies on the grass, taking a minute in the deck chair, whatever it may be-but a little watching, waiting, stopping and staring will probably do us all the world of good! To end with Dara, he says,
"Even amongst these chaotic and stagnant times, the world seems to still tick around us, and it's still absolutely beautiful, and I love the natural world."
Yep