Green Is My Favourite Colour

It is not often that one builds up the courage to quit the corporate rat race and seek for something more in life. As the hustle and bustle of city life took its toll on my mind, body, and soul, I found myself turning to the unlikeliest of allies for comfort and healing. From being a city person through and through and visibly grimacing at the thought of spending even a few hours away from my well-connected dome of Wi-Fi, Swiggy, and Netflix, I experienced a radical change. I soon found myself yearning for just a few silent moments alone in nature, the same nature that I once so callously disregarded. 

Nature really did come through as a healer of the highest power. A small waterfront farmhouse surrounded by tall trees and taller skies was my sanctuary in nature. The incessant chirping of strange birds mashed with the gentle whooshing of wind, leaves falling against the window, and the occasional chime of a faraway bell created a harmony greater than all the favourite songs in my specially curated Spotify playlist; such was the impact of nature for my mind. My racing thoughts slowed down, and my body finally relaxed as nature enveloped my worries, exhaustion, and numbness. 

Green was now my favourite colour. As an avid appreciator of all shades of black, I never expected colour to come into my life in such unexpected ways. During my short tryst with nature, I took in the mesmerising array of  colours like I was a colorblind child viewing the world in all its glory for the first time. The deep green of mature trees, the gentle and bright green of small leaves that are still emerging from the shoot, the faded green with hints of brown on the thick carpet of dead, fallen leaves on the ground, and the appetizing colour of unripe mangoes swaying on high branches were all wonderful hues of green. Green was now truly my favourite colour. 

As days and nights blended into a continuous loop of enchanting beauty, I learned the most important lesson of all. One should never take the role that nature plays in our lives so lightly. Apart from the numerous benefits of nature and why it should be protected that have been ingrained within us from school time, there was something more to nature that the education system failed to teach us: nature as a healer of the mind. The tranquility of nature, a calming sensation of peace that can be found only amidst the trees, ponds, and animals that are bound by the code of freedom, is something that all city dwellers critically need in their fast lives. Something to slow them down and remind them of the beauty of living when the living gets too hard. 

 So, if you have some time today, take this as a reminder to spend a few moments alone with nature. You don't have to go to the jungle or hike through trails to find it; simply take in the details of whatever is closest to you. Ground yourself by tracing the veins at the back of a leaf, or marvel at the softness of a petal or the prickle of a thorn. Nature is everywhere; you just have to see it.