The strangest of years, this 2020. I received an uplifting newsletter from Avaaz who state, month by month, all the great actions they have done, worldwide. A major challenge today is the fight against disinformation spread across social media. Fortunately, plenty of people know better and what issues really matter for their country and for humanity at large.

I should not complain about this year. In spite of the lockdown and curfew periods, hiking in the Calanques has been possible even regularly. I did observe the winter taking over from the autumn season. The sunlight has now a welcome soft touch that plays through the forest trees, changing the colors and contrasts with every step you take.

I am very familiar with the hiking routes I take but with every weather change the views look different. It is easy to say that nature repeats itself. It does, but then with such creativity that the same scenery never look the same. There seems to be no boredom in something that is fully alive, growing, blossoming and changing. Is it because of the challenge of survival or the joy of existence?

My visits to the Calanques in this pandemic year have helped me rediscover the true value of nature – giving good health, peace of mind, enjoyment of natural beauty and the sense of harmony. All that contributes to one’s emotional and mental well-being. In other parts of the world vast regions of forests have been destroyed this year by climate-change. Realising which things truly matter to us can trigger building back a better world. If so, the year 2020 won’t be a wasted year after all.

All Photos Copyright © 2019-2020 August Timmermans – All Rights Reserved