ANCHORING IN NATURE

By Emma Roberts

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the maelstrom of life, but to anchor ourselves to nature is to return to where we belong. It helps us realise what is truly important.

From our sweeping downs edged with stark white cliffs, the ancient burial grounds overlooking the southern and western tips on either side, and our prehistoric coastlines, to the creeks, rivers and tumbling streams that weave through the countryside, the Isle of Wight is abundant with nature.

The Channel, reaching across the horizon to the French coast, and to the North, the Solent, separating us from the rest of the country, are both commercial fairways and playgrounds for sea and nature lovers. From the elegant yachts with their billowing sails, the ferries and catamarans that link us to Portsmouth, Southampton and the New Forest, the speedboats and ribs that scoot across the water, to the swimmers and surfers; the waters that surround us are enjoyed by many. Watching the tides change the coastline, revealing hidden rocky headlands, and stretches of golden sands that trick you into thinking you could almost walk to the mainland, and then at high tide to see the waves splash with vigour onto the revetments, is a true example of the power of Mother Nature. As we emerge from the greys and blacks of the winter into spring, we are reminded that change is inevitable. Our bodies, our habitat, the modern world that we live in. We cannot fight change, we can only align ourselves to it. We can also be change-makers. As our world evolves, we must evolve with it. Our basic needs remain the same, but we can improve how we obtain them and how we live in harmony with our planet and those who inhabit it. A mindfulness of where we are is important. Our home, our road, our town. We are an intrinsic part of where we live. Even if we have lived there for just one or for fifty years, we are a part of it. Like it or not, we become part of both its indelible history and its ever-evolving future, and we all have a responsibility to look after it.

ASSOCIATE, CHURCHERS SOLICITORS