It had been two days since I was sitting in a classroom taking a statistics exam. Where I was sitting in a chair, surrounded by brick walls, florescent lights allowing me to see the questions on the paper in front of me. Watching the clock as my heart fluttered with the pressure and excitement of taking my only and last final exam of the semester.

Then, two days later, two hours outside of Bogota, I found myself in Chingaza National Park. Completely surrounded by nature. Breathing in the thin mountain air. Passing only 3 people on a 6-hour hike in the “paramo” (in english, a “moor”). Stopping to look at the details of the landscape. Completely memorized by nature. The tranquility. The beauty.

I was quickly reminded of ideas.

Nature did not care if I answered a question right or wrong on an exam. Nature did not care that I study at Harvard. Nature didn’t care that I threw up on the hike 3 hours in from the altitude. Nature didn’t care if I was tired or energetic, happy or sad, irritated or ecstatic, nervous or relaxed….

Nature did not care about me.

And that is a very powerful and freeing idea. We need nature to remind ourselves how unimportant and how small we are. How free we should be to live the lives we want to live. Nothing is expected of us!

I have been enjoying being outside on some beautiful, sunny days in Bogota, Colombia the past week and a half.

Happy holidays, and hope you have peace in your heart going into this new year 🙂