Bring us back to nature

"Forests -- and other natural, green settings -- can reduce stress, improve moods, reduce anger and aggressiveness and increase overall happiness."

Have you ever read Last Child in the Woods? It's a really incredible book about "nature deficit disorder" in which children of our "wired generation" who don't get enough exposure to the natural world end up with depression, obesity, anger, and more illnesses.

I remember as a kid my parents tried to use all of our vacation time to visit as many national parks as possible. We always camped (I didn't stay in more than 2 hotels until I was 20-something). I loved spending time in the woods. I would roam around and play with the clay ground, listen to the crickets late at night, and climb over rocks and streams. I always felt better in the woods. That's why I tried paganism once (but I just can't seem to shake Catholicism).

I believe we've all got nature deficit disorder. We don't get outside enough (as I'm typing in front of the tv...). We need to get back together with nature. To take our illnesses outside into the world. So grab your 12 and 12, grab your mental health books, and head outside into the sun, or if you prefer, the shade.