Amidst the rapid development in science and technology, especially in communication devices, we are drifting away from Mother Nature, which we ought to have closely aligned with.

While we may have many ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ to prove how exciting our living styles are or how important our commitments are, yet the sunrise, the cool breeze, the chirping of birds, the sunset, the trees, flowers and flowing water is beyond expression and should be enjoyed always.

In the words of E.M Foster, a great English novelist, “What is good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives?”

This is true for us, for the generation of today, excluding the older generations who still follow the age-old maxim of ‘early to bed and early to rise’. We seldom catch the sight of stars in the sky due to a flood of lights in the cities, causing fractions up in the air, making things so hazy that we can see only a few countable stars. Whether due to population increase or some other reason, the soft (unpaved) earth is being replaced with pavements, roads, infrastructure, etc., often by eating up enormous trees, the habitats of uncountable birds and other critters.

Apart from that, as a result of our unnatural and unhealthy routine, anxiety, stress and obesity are on the rise .While no sane person may deny the importance of nature and natural beauty, here are a few tips that may assist you in finding ways within your busy routine to enjoy the company of nature.

As students, you might have to stay up late at night and might awake up at the eleventh hour in the morning and complete your chores in a rush before proceeding to your school or college. Many of you might be holding sandwiches in one hand, while getting on to your school van and nibble it all the way, whereas holding notes in the other hand to finish last minute study.

Well, well, well! The only thing you need to do is to give a paradigm twist to your routine. Why can’t you sleep early and wake up early? After all, the net amount of study, as well as rest, remains the same.

One of my friends waits till he has to lay his bike flat on roadside to get the few leftover drops of petrol, to help him get to a nearby petrol station. Looking at his trouble and indecency, I often advise him to refill his tank while there is still some petrol left, or keep the tank full. After all, the net amount of the petrol consumed remains the same.

Many of you may claim that you can study better at night and complete your sleep hours in the day. True! But according to the law of nature, the night is for rest and the day is to work. In the words of Luther Burbank, a famous American botanist, and pioneer in agriculture science, “If you violate nature’s laws you are your own judge, jury and hangman.”

In most religions, prayers and other rituals are done early morning. In Islam, the Fajr prayer hails the start of the day but few of us bother to wake up early to say our prayers. It is due to violating the noble laws of nature and religious practice that there are now many health issues affecting people, such as short-term memory issues, weaker eyesight and poor assimilation ability.

In an urban area, silence may be the most desired thing. However, silence may be achieved even on the busiest streets. But why is silence so essential?

According to Mother Teresa, “... see how nature — trees, flowers, grass — grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence ... we need silence to be able to touch souls.”

In order to touch your soul, silence is mandatory. Perhaps, this is why it is said, “Silence is a form of worship.” Plenty of literature and aerobic centres are available through which yoga or Tie Chi (a form of Chinese Martial Arts) can be practiced. Even if there is none, Google it and you would get a handful of aerobics or yoga exercises. Practicing these may require a silent place and preferably early morning time

Even if you do not find this feasible, simply sit cross-legged, inhale and try to prolong the inhaled air by inflating your lungs to your maximum, followed by a smooth exhale. With time, and of course with consistency, you would observe tremendous improvement in your body. Do it and feel the newer and fresher you!

Published in Dawn, Young World, October 23rd, 2021