Photo by Frida Gregersen
One short paragraph wouldn't do anyone's life justice but here are some of the highlights.
Throughout my life I have moved every 2nd year. Born amongst the Natives in Northern Canada, I moved to Denmark in the 90's and within those countries we got quite the tour. I continued as an adult. I popped up all over the place - the world was my oyster.
As a young woman in 2001, I swooped off to Bosnia to work on an American HQ military camp. I extended that stay and continued onto a British camp in Kosovo in 2002, a tour that hit me hard and changed everything about my outlook on life. Coming home I experienced severe stress and anxiety and spent the next few years running.
I drank, smoked, over ate, partied, didn’t sleep, and wasn’t alone for more than 5 minutes to avoid feelings. It was all too painful. It continued to be very overwhelming. I isolated myself more and more and living was really no longer a part of life.
At one point the anxiety and restlessness was so harming to my life and my relationships that I needed to do something. Nature connection was my way in. It wasn’t a miracle cure or any cult like discovery. But I found a way to hold myself and the pain with care. I began to see that I could handle the difficult stuff, and sensed compassion for myself and what I had experienced in life. There was no need to run or be numb.
When I became a mom, I went through mild postpartum depression and once again looked down the shitty black hole of feelings.
Finding contentment within myself and truly seeing what was right there in front of me, was and is priceless. It is life. For sure, dealing with filled to the brim diapers, laundry and sneezes over my dinner takes some of the sexy out of the picture - but the living is back.
I am by no means a perfect picture of a nature guide, whatever that is. I swear and enjoy a nice beer, I forget birthdays and watch crappy TV shows. But, I trust myself now. I see the pleasure, success, joy and amazingness in the simple things and oddness of life. That’s all I have – the right now – and it is messy at times. Which is also why I never wear white clothes.
Publications
‘En plus om Bålet’ Danish publication with publisher Arkiv for deltajler. Published May 2023
‘Apprenticing an Elemental Life’ essay in the ‘Elemental series’ by Center for Humans and Nature. September 2024
