Discovering myself through nature

The beautiful Lisa (@kitchenoflion) has shared her story of how becoming vegan has helped her to find a real connection with herself and nature. #yourstory

I find strength in nature. Always have. A stroll through the woods will always bring a feeling of connectedness to me, a feeling of belonging. I don’t always know who I am, but surrounded by trees I know that I am.
Nature is forgiving. Loving. Kind. Nature does not judge. I try to live like that, be open minded, say no to cruelty. I think that is what makes me so passionate about veganism, it’s all about love in the end. Loving yourself, loving others. And I’m always learning. I don’t know whose quote this is, but it has stuck with me for a couple of years now and it has become my mantra: “Walk this earth with bare feet and an open heart.” I think it’s important to stay curious.
For me, gardening has been the best therapy I could ask for. To be honest, my little patch of earth is nothing more than a raised bedding. It’s a two-minute walk from my home, but during that walk a true transformation can occur. I walk past lavender, jasmine and roses, there’s shrubs with beautiful flowers I don’t yet know the name of—there’s so much to learn! And when I arrive at the raised bed that has been assigned to me, the first thing I do is take a couple of seconds, minutes even, to just look. See and observe the plants, how they’ve changed, how they’re growing.
I grow herbs, flowers, and occasionally some vegetables. It can be quite the challenge to plan out what I’m sowing each year, as space is limited. But every year, as I harvest my very first vegetable, or bouquet of flowers, my heart glows. There’s something special about growing your own food, it’s amazing to see how one little seed can turn into a beautiful plant. Just like we started out as tiny organisms, growing into the people we are now.