My next book…
…is almost ready for you! It’s a delightful children’s book about the lessons nature has to teach us. It was an absolute dream come true to collaborate again with my artistic genius of a friend, Melanie Bess-Haight. Here’s a little more insight into the inspiration behind the book and what magic lies within. Get excited friends!
I wrote this book at the start of the Global Pandemic, back in March of 2020. The world shut down. Schools shut down. Students everywhere were sent home. As a second grade teacher, I was sent home without a chance to say goodbye to my “kids.” We tried our best to put together some semblance of normalcy with continuous virtual learning with virtually no training or expertise. I did this all while staying home with my husband and three young daughters. We were grieving in all kinds of ways for the loss of human lives as well as the loss of what was. In the midst of all the pain and unknown and constant state of panic, I tapped into my love and connection to the healing powers of nature to bring balance and harmony to our family. I also recorded videos of our outdoor adventures and shared them with my students. We were living history and I didn’t want anyone to miss out. I truly felt that getting outside and exploring was (and still is) far more beneficial than any work I assigned in the digital landscape.
During this time of isolation, my husband and I brought our girls to new rivers and rapids, waterfalls, and wonders in the woods. The lessons we collectively learned during our time together made us stronger and wiser. Perhaps one of the greatest lessons being the simple yet profound truth that Nature is our most cherished gift and wisest teacher. There are numerous changes and transformations that occurred during this extraordinarily difficult time that we must hold on to as we continue to evolve and live our individual yet intricately connected lives. Like really living, understanding, and appreciating the benefits of slowing down, lightening our loads, giving thanks for the little things, spending quality time with family, seeking help when we’re not okay physically, mentally, or spiritually, being of service, and the healing power of human touch and spending time outdoors. What lessons has nature taught you?
As you flip through the pages of this beautifully illustrated book, you’ll notice that the main character, Mother Nature, changes skin tone and hair color. This was absolutely intentional. We wanted to celebrate the beauty of diversity. Just as nature delights us with an extraordinary display of diversity within the plant and animal kingdoms, so too does she provide us with a rainbow race that we collectively call the human race. All the various tones and textures of our skin add such richness and beauty to the world. It was our hope to capture those thoughts within this book.
