Going For A Walk + Observing Trees

I love trees and since painting is one of my primary ways of relaxing, I've come to appreciate trees in a different way.

Not every tree is the same. Some are tall and lanky, others burly with lots of roots taking place.

Some have leaves year round while others lose theirs during winter time.

Regardless, they are all beautiful to me and remind me of their imperfections.

So when you decide to go for a walk or are rushing around, take a moment to notice any tree. 

What do the branches look like? Start to look at each individual branch if you can and notice how they just go in whichever direction. 

Does this tree have leaves or not? Are there buds growing on the trees and if so, are they so small that they look like tiny little bumps right now? 

Do you notice any interesting patterns on the trunk of the tree? Feel free to lightly touch the trunk  and feel its interesting textures. Is it rough or smooth? And upon closer inspection of the tree, what else do you notice?

While this might not seem like a mindful moment. It is! You are simply observing something with no judgement and in doing so, you are living in the moment.

Enjoy this practice. Do this with anything that interests you and notice how much more connected you are to things around you.