The Great, And I Mean GREAT, Outdoors! It was the sweetest sounding bell of all time! I heard it every day at Tanglewood Elementary School. To the outside world, it sounded like any other bell. But to me and my classmates (we spoke “bell” so we could understand its language) it was screaming “Time for recess!” Just the word “recess” brings back a flood of childhood memories. Warm sunshine on my face. Seeing our breath on the cold days. Attempting back handsprings in the sand with my best friend Ricky in the first grade. The monkey bars. Tetherball (Napoleon Dynamite style). Noisy kickball games and foursquare, oh yeah, foursquare! That ‘ting’ sound those big red playground balls made whenever they bounced on the blacktop. My first fight ever. Foot races of Olympian importance. The “Murdock” drinking fountain with a metal pedal we had to step on to start the flow. The way it almost quenched our thirst with big gulps of lukewarm water. Lining up to go back inside, out of breath, trying to be the quietest class so we could go in first (not because we wanted to get back inside, but because it was torture to still be outside without the freedom to move!) I have a theory. This theory doesn’t have a name yet, I don’t think. It’s not really original, either. And it’s hard to summarize. And I’m not a scientist, so I haven’t set up any controlled experiments to prove my theory. But the gist is this: A person’s overall health is directly proportional to the time he spends outdoors. Recess! What a great idea! Too bad recess ended with 6th grade. And with it, our enjoyment of the outdoors, and our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health began their lifelong, gradual decline, too. I know—it’s just a theory. I know—I’m generalizing, and exaggerating slightly. But I still truly believe the more time we get outside, the healthier we are overall. We’ve all heard and used the phrase, “I need to get outside for some fresh air.” Or have said to the kids “Go outside and play!” PHYSICAL Outdoors makes us move. A lot of our unhealthiness comes from being too sedentary. Being outdoors gets us moving. Walking, hiking, running, playing. We could all use more of that. Sure you can walk on a treadmill in your garage. But that keeps you away from fresh air, and it’s kind of monotonous. You’re getting a cardio workout and breathing heavier, but it’s stagnant, dusty air you’re drawing into you lungs. It adds up against you over time. So how about walking outdoors instead. Yeah, you may have to layer up the clothes to stay warm, but it’s worth it. There’s more to do, see, and explore outside. This is the obvious benefit of being outdoors. The other benefit comes from direct sunlight. Yeah, sunscreen and ozone problems and skin cancers have made the sun our enemy, but only if we are unwise about it. We actually need sunlight to stay healthy. It helps us process some of our vitamins. Vitamin D in particular. I keep reading the expert advice to get at least 30 minutes of sunshine on your face everyday. It’s not only a physical need, but also helps with our mental and emotional well-being. EMOTIONAL/MENTAL During the winter months, when there is less sunlight during the day, many people develop what is called SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is a season of depression caused by the lack of sunlight, and it affects our mental and emotional state. Other effects include an increase in appetite for sugary foods, possibly because of the ‘comfort’ they bring to the emotional unsettledness. Treatment for SAD includes either actual sunlight for periods in the day, or the use of spectrum-specific lights on your face (phototherapy) to help elevate someone’s mood. Often antidepressants are prescribed as well. So, even from a medical perspective, and psychological perspective, being outdoors as much as possible helps keep us healthy. Are you convinced yet? SPIRITUAL I also believe there is a spiritual element to being outdoors. I was reminded recently by a sign in someone’s garden that “Life began in a garden!” Then I saw a similar message on the sign out in front of a local nursery/landscaping company that says, “We were meant to live in a Garden.” If you travel a lot and meet a lot of people from different areas of the country, you might find that people who live close to mountains, or the seaside, and spend a lot of time outdoors hiking and camping, seem to have a spiritual awareness more than the general population. They may not all agree on where that comes from, but there seems to be a spiritual tone to a lot of their existence. I’m convinced that this is from being outside a lot. Why? Think about it. We normally spend most of our days and nights in rooms. There are walls around us, so there’s not much to see that’s bigger than we are. The larger world, the larger universe is blocked from our view, literally and metaphorically. We constantly live with the unspoken thought that we are the big deal in the room. We are consumed with our own personal drama, and live most of our lives thinking we’re the most important element of our own existence. That’s not healthy. The moment we step outdoors, however, we are suddenly very small. We are suddenly aware that we are part of something way bigger than ourselves. The sky is vast. The ocean dwarfs us. And I believe the more we see that, and the more we get used to that idea, the healthier we become. Especially spiritually, because we’re reminded more often that we are not the center of the universe. We find our place. Or at least a better understanding of our place. Seeing creation reminds us of Creator. I know that not everyone agrees with my beliefs about God as Creator. But somehow, being closer to creation is spiritually healthier for all of us, regardless of what we believe. I recently sat down and watched JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO, a movie from the ‘90’s starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The opening scene almost gave me hives, watching Tom Hanks under the florescent lights in his workplace with no windows. The monotony. The phoniness. The dread of another day in the same place. He puts a hula girl lamp on his desk and turns it on to bring a little life to the scene. (I think I might buy one of those.) The boss yells at him to turn it off. It is suffocating! Later in the movie, Joe (Tom Hanks) is stranded on a raft in the middle of the ocean with Patricia (Meg Ryan). Outdoors, mind you. Joe wakes up in the middle of the night, and in his misery watches the moon rise from the horizon. He’s floating on a monstrous ocean, beneath billions of stars spanning light-years. The moon looks gigantic. Joe stands up and raises his hands into the sky. He starts to utter, through his misery and tears, “Dear God…whose name I do not know…thank you for my life…I FORGOT…HOW…BIG…” His voice trails off and he repeats, “thank you for my life.” What a great picture of my theory! Trapped inside four walls? Unhealthy. Outdoors? Sudden awareness of “how BIG…” Perspective returns. Joe’s journey takes a turn for the better. There is a movement going on in our country called “wilderness therapy,” that helps treat people with a wide variety of problems by getting them away from their normal world, and introducing them into the simple and awesome world of the outdoors. Results vary, but many people gain a lot of perspective from “getting away from it all.” It’s not just getting AWAY, but it’s getting TO a place that is more healthy for people. It changes perspective to interact with the most elemental things in nature. Sure, one of humanity’s basic needs is the need for shelter. But shelter implies protection from what is dangerous. Somehow our over-sheltering of ourselves has kept us away from a lot of healthy things too! Let’s get back outside! I propose we reinstate recess. Each of us is going to have to be creative for ourselves, to find moments to be outside. As much as possible. Ask yourself, “How can I see as much of the sky as possible today?” Start simply. Take a walk. Sit on the patio to read the paper. (Notice the birds…don’t ignore them!) Take a bike ride. Find a place to walk down Main Street, or better yet, at the park. (Notice the kids…don’t ignore them!) Plant a small garden that brings you out of the house every now and then, not only to pull a weed or two, but to enjoy the colors! (Notice the bugs…don’t ignore them!) Go camping once a month. And watch the stars! Learn to recognize five constellations and impress a friend once a week with your newfound wisdom! Put a birdfeeder in your yard. That will get you at least closer to the window…more sunlight. Get a subscription to Backpacker Magazine or Outdoor Magazine to inspire you! Whatever it takes, start the personal trend toward more time outdoors! Now get up from your computer and get outside! It’s time for RECESS!