Ep 25 - Learning From Nature in Your Second Half

Why Nature Always Wins: Life Lessons from a Fallen Tree That Will Change How You See Control, Humility & Your Place in the World

During a routine morning dog walk, I noticed something I had walked past many times before. But this time, I stopped and contemplated a new perspective. There, in the middle of a beautifully managed bush reserve, a massive gum tree had crashed down, flattening everything in its path despite all the careful human planning and maintenance by Council staff.

It reminded me of a fundamental truth we often forget: nature is the ultimate reality, and it always has the final say.

In this episode, I explain three insights I gained:

• Embrace humility over control - We can influence many things, but we're never the final arbiter. Accepting this reduces stress and unrealistic expectations.
• Work with natural patterns, not against them - Aligning our decisions with nature's rhythms leads to better outcomes, like avoiding building on unstable ground.
• Actively appreciate our temporary place - Understanding we're part of something larger brings both psychological benefits and deeper gratitude for this brief, meaningful experience we call life.

Thanks for listening! See you again soon.

Rob

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One of the things I value most in life is spending time in Nature.
I guess it started when I went to a boarding school in my teens which sat on a large farm that had a big river flowing along down the back, and high hills to explore once you crossed over. Over the five years of that school, me and my mates spent hours and hours in there.
These days, I walk in a bush track near home with the dogs most mornings.

And the other day, I noticed something that reminded me of a truth about Nature that we don't often think about.
One that brings a very real perspective that we'd be wise to remember often….

On a walk near our home, where I take the dogs for their morning exercise, there is a lovely bush reserve. Competing for space, there are hundreds and hundreds of flaxes, grasses of various kinds, shrubs that attract native birds, flowers, and masses of ground covers.
I have no idea what this place looked like originally, but clearly there’ve been attempts over the years by Parks and Reserves staff to manage the area so it can thrive. They’ve carved pathways down the valley to the road at the end. They’ve built bridges for us to walk over streams, seats to sit on and enjoy the sunshine, signs to tell us which way to go, and even dog-bag stations to help us dog-people keep things tidy for the next folks.

It all looks lovely.

And there, smack-bang in the middle of the area just up from the bridge, is a dirty great gum tree that has crashed down on the ground wiping everything in its path out.

Despite all the human efforts to manage, build and organise, Nature has the final say. Because Nature is the ultimate reality. It has told us that over and over again since the beginning of time (although I believe there was no beginning). 

Nature has announced its overarching supremacy through giant asteroids that have previously crashed to Earth, wiping out entire sets of species, darkening the sky for years, and re-setting a lot of the biology on our planet. And this probably happens regularly in our galaxy - something that is highly likely given the sheer magnitude of the domain, and the role of chance.

It has also shown us its awesome power through massive tsunamis like the one in Indonesia in 2004 that wiped out millions of acres of land, homes and territory and killed over 200,000 people. No amount of planning, infrastructure, or civil defense could make a shred of difference. Nature kicked our arses big time showing us its total power. There was nothing we could do.

Even on a smaller level, Nature is it. Have you noticed those damn weeds that kee p coming up in the garden?! Or the way a leak in your house can cause it to rot? Or how pouring rain can cause a big outdoor concert to be cancelled despite all the planning, preparation and practice?

This reality tells us a few things that I think are useful.

1. We should stop thinking that we humans are in control. Clearly, we can control a lot. But ultimately, we’re not the final arbiter. See above for examples. Perhaps an attitude of humility might serve us well.

2. Organising our lives to operate in sync with Nature will probably work out better, if not easier, in the long run. For example, not building a new house on land that has a history of ground movement.                      

3. Actively appreciating Nature is good for us in many ways. We can see ourselves as a part of this thing called Life and be grateful for the experience. Psychological research also shows that time in nature is good for you. It helps you to relax, release tension, be more present to what’s around you, and feel a sense of connection to the whole.

You know, the harsh reality is that you and I are only on this planet for a shortish time. We simply won’t last forever. And neither will anything else if you take a long enough perspective. Sure there are still some pyramids standing thousands of years after their construction. But one asteroid, one big earthquake, or just degradation due to climate over time, and they too will be gone.

That’s not bad, it’s just the way it is. It’s this beautiful thing called life, this Nature we are part of. The ultimate reality.

Given that, let’s adopt an attitude of acceptance and humility, make the most of our time and energy because life is both a gift and an opportunity, and organise our lives to be in sync with the ultimate reality as much as possible.