Sunshine and Sailing: Finding Vitality in Nature

In April, our pastor posed a thought-provoking question during her Earth Day sermon: “What is your favorite thing about nature?” 

I’ve always thought of myself as a lover of nature, an outdoorsy girl. I grew up playing outside more than inside. My favorite thing to do was to ride my bike, but I’d do just about anything to be outside. I took up photography in high school so I could take pictures of flowers and nature. It remains a passion to this day.

As an adult, my hobbies revolve around nature. I enjoy biking, hiking, jogging, skiing, swimming, gardening, and of course, we’ve recently taken up sailing. 

When I think about nature, I think about Utah because that is where I learned to care about it and to pursue it. 

We lived in Cache Valley, Northern Utah, for about eight years, just a few miles south of the Idaho state line. The first time I flew out there was during winter. After passing over the Rocky Mountains, we circled around the Great Salt Lake before landing. The view was breathtaking!

Upon landing, we got into a car to head north, but it was so foggy that I couldn’t see the cars in front of us or the mountains that rose up beside us. The fog was incredibly thick, but it wasn’t deep. Looking up, the mountain peaks emerged, suspended in the mist. It was such a surreal vision that it took me a minute to understand what I was seeing.

We then drove through Mantua to the Sardine Canyon. When the pass opened up, there was a beautiful vista: Cache Valley. I’ll never forget the first time I saw it.

In Cache Valley, the winters brought “the inversions.” For weeks at a time, the bowl-shaped valley would get socked in with thick fog. (You could get real SAD, real fast in those conditions.) But the cure was 5 miles away. In the thick of winter, a short drive up Logan Canyon would get you above the clouds and into the warmest, most blessed sunshine. In an instant, life felt vibrant again.

As I think about it, I love all of it. I love all the outdoors. But my mind wants to answer this question with “sunshine.” To me, sunshine is life itself—an embrace from the cosmos that brings me vitality. 

Sunshine affects my spirit, it nourishes my soul. When I am struggling, it’s a lifeline that brings me back to myself. I’ve learned to honor this need for sunlight—it’s my life hack for well-being. I know I’m not unique this way. 

Learning to sail has introduced me to a new perspective. 

When we set sail, the sunshine, the wind, and the water become our partners! The heat from the sun warms the air, creating pressure differences. The wind flows and our sails catch its energy. Suddenly, we’re gliding on top of the water propelled by the elements. It’s amazing to think that we can sail around the world, riding invisible currents. 

The dynamics of the natural world are endlessly fascinating. The earth spins on its axis, the sun nourishes life, the wind shapes landscapes, and the tides ebb and flow. And we can harness it, to do things, and take us places. This is my favorite thing about nature.

Sights from Utah