We had important things to discuss. It would likely become heated and, almost certainly, emotional. So we decided to walk. Both of us and the dog. And so we did. 

We walked through the trees, by the river, just being, sometimes talking, sometimes quiet. Yes, there were midges! We talked and we didn’t talk, we held hands and we rambled off the path. We looked up at the trees, the gnarled, twisted, enormous trees, some we knew the names of and most we didn’t…  the birds, is that a robin? Yes, there he is, cheekily hopping close by. The dog lapped up the trickling, glistening river water. 

There’s the sound of another dog and the owner’s voice calling: ‘Good boy, who’s a good boy?’ and we smiled because that’s what we say too to my now-muddy little mutt. We listened as the child-like chatter of a grown-up dog owner faded and life felt momentarily calm as we talked about serious things and silly things and we were just being ‘here’, in the woods by the river, right here, stumbling over tree trunks, a new trail we hadn’t taken before. 

‘Look, horses’ tails', and right enough, those plants do look like horses' tails and oh my words, there is a dragonfly or is it? It’s there, it’s here, it’s gone, a flutter of colour and movement. And we are getting muddier and we’re becoming calmer and dare I say, a little giddier and we don’t want to leave this away-from-it all beautiful place but we find ourselves following the trail back and we know the car is over there and we know we are going to get in and drive off and face reality and we don’t want to leave… let’s get some salads and have a picnic, let’s not allow our peace to be interrupted. Let’s cling on to the calm and the beauty for as long as we can.

Afterwards, I explain all this to my friend: the walking, the river, the trees, the sense of calm. And she says: ‘That’s forest bathing’. What? I thought 'forest bathing' was some sort of let’s-pretend-we’re-all-fairies-dancing-around-a-tree-barely-dressed activity but no… our woodland muddy stroll is what is now called… forest bathing. 

I laughed but actually… that’s exactly how I felt. Like I had taken a bath beside the river, rejuvenated, invigorated, refreshed, calm, serene. Hopeful.

Did it last? Lords, no! But for that Saturday and on into Sunday, I felt I could breathe… 

Forest bathing… who knew?!

Salt Water Mum 

A Moodscope member