NO PRESCRIPTION, JUST NATURE

There are lots of countries encouraging people to be in a specific part of nature—like Norway, promoting the healing therapy of fjords, or Canada, inviting their people to flow with their rivers and lakes. More specifically, in Japan, when a person is sick mentally, physically, or emotionally, health professionals suggest going into nature as a form of natural therapy (e.g., Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing). More alike, in Finland, people are encouraged to spend time near the greener sides of the country and experience the silent, calming benefits of the environment.

But what I like the most is how Italy and Portugal leave a mark on people about the nature of beaches and saltwater and how it helps us cope with stress. It is the calm, flamboyant sound of waves that eases a person's anxiety or hidden stress—much more the moderate sunlight, fresh sea breeze, and screeches and whistles of the birds around the shore that touch our mind gently.

As a person who sees beaches as my friend, I have learned to love it more when I learned how much healing it gives to me and to others. It is no doubt that it surely is true—from the accounts of people experiencing the therapeutic feature of nature to my own personal experience of it. It is surely a love behind medicine, but still the greatest pill one can swallow.

Just yesterday, I was once again reminded of this truth when I visited the beach in my Aunt's house. It was a sudden decision to spend the weekend there, because of the adults in the house getting stressed out from their work, especially my mother, and my younger brothers from their school works. I saw that my family needed to have a break for a moment, away from the ringing emails, piled-up documents in the table, and scratching pages of textbooks.

With all stress they have and without further delay, we packed our things and get to the town as soon as possible. We spent the night in my Auntie's house and I loved the night we had there. We had a karaoke, everyone is in the same room, and a glass of liquor is passed next to each other.

When the morning sun of Sunday arose, the mini-balcony of the house bordering the vast view of the sea can be seen. From that point, everybody has already calmed their wild nerves and attained the peace we were looking for. It took only a minute of standing in front the sea to ease the stress we have from the weekdays that have passed. I saw the kids from the neighbourhood playing in the water and while watching it I had an idea.

Even if it was still early in the morning, I grabbed my float tube and headed to the water to have my morning sea-dip. I felt the water relaxing my veins and whole system that I no longer want to go back to the shore. I spent an hour swimming, practicing my breath in the water, challenging my muscles and cleaned some tiny plastics floating in the surface. As much as I wanted to stay, the scorching heat of the sun is already activated, and I don't want to burn myself so I had to go back to the house where I saw my mother cooking our food for lunch. I headed to the shower and had a cool relaxing bath before sleeping until the afternoon.

When the clock hit 3 P.M., my family were already sitting in the nearest part of the shore, having their bottled conversation as they laugh harder than they have to. It was already in low tide that only sea grasses can scare you and the sun is now that unfriendly.

While walking, I saw a dog roaming with us and took a picture of it as it posed in front of the camera. We also had taken a picture of ourselves and took a picture of the view I would cherish forever.

I came back to the shore where I saw my baby dog sitting in the hanging swing chair. He had been very bored that I knew he wants to lay in the sand but afraid to jump from the swing. He was kinda irritated so I didn’t come near to him. He is our youngest. It means he is a spoiled child.

While scanning the photos I took, I saw a picture of this girl I took picture of when I was in the beach. My sister also had taken a picture of them as she really love working for children. The kids in the neighbourhood were so polite and respectful to the elders that I am amazed how they behave.

I was waiting for the sunset in 5 P.M. but we had to go home to our house because we need to complete our backlogs. We left the town with full charged souls, happy mind and grateful hearts.

The weekend I had last time reminded me of the idea that the best way for a therapy doesn't always have to be in prescription, but sometimes, it can be found just in a simple laughter, taste of saltwater and sea breezes. When we left the house of my Auntie, I then knew that we brought more than just bags or sunburn—we brought peace back home with us and pulled ourselves back through it.