I am blessed with a few hours to myself alone this week while my daughter is in the Vacation Bible School this week. Because it won’t allow me to be at my yoga studio in time, I decided to spend this week outdoors as much as I can weather permitting. On day one, which was yesterday, I knew where I was called the moment I woke up. I went to a local botanical garden where I purchased an annual pass just recently because I was so mesmerized on my first visit. It’s a hundred acre garden run by the county and by the donations. You will encounter countless flowers, names you have probably never even heard of. I am not botanically savvy. Nor am I interested in learning the botany. I see many photographers that visit to capture the beauty of nature, God’s wonderful gifts to us, but I am not into walking through a beautiful garden with a heavy equipment weighing down my neck. As for me, I just want a jolly walk down through the gardens with a small book in my hand. At least, that has been my dream thanks to my small toddler who perpetually tags along.

So when I sat down to ponder on where I could visit or what I could do this week during my free mornings, I had no second thought. I had several annual passes that I collected over the last few months and those state parks or gardens will keep me very busy. Exploring natural wonders of God’s creation will remind me how wonderfully and fearfully He created our human beings. In this body is where our souls are housed, and God carefully engineered out bodies to suit our divine beings inside. Just as diverse the nature scenes are, so our bodies and minds are diverse. We all have differences but because we are so different, the entire human race is so beautiful. So unique and special. Each person is so precious to our God.

I loved my visit at the garden alone so much yesterday that I asked my friend P to meet me there the next day. I met her at my previous local Catholic church parish and she has been my spiritual mentor ever since. We used to have our weekly meetings at the church courtyard for over a year until it was time for me to move an hour away. Today will be the first time since last October that we will be together face-to-face. I wonder what our conversations will be like. It will be like flowing waters as our meetings always were. She is a writer, and I, a wanna-be-writer. We both love nature and seek nature therapy whether we call it that or not. The meeting of our two souls will blossom into a million unknown flowers and the garden of my soul will become that much more diverse. Unique. Special. Precious. Because I have met her.

Relationships matter so much for God, I heard during the sermon this past Sunday. One sure way to love God is through loving your neighbors. And today, I am so excited to spend my morning with my dear friend strolling the beautiful garden together. That simple act of love is just what my soul needs.