Love. There's no better feeling in the world. The thought of devoting your time and feelings to something or someone other than yourself can be daunting but, hey, when you know, you know. For me, nature is my one, true love, and it's not always easy to put into words just how much nature means to me. Because once you open yourself up to nature and learn to appreciate every aspect of it, you'll not only find yourself speechless but wrapped up in a love affair you never want to end.

I've known my whole life that nature holds the key to my heart since I can never seem to get enough of it. Whether it's hiking through miles of dense forest until my feet fall off or swimming in crocodile-infested waters in the outback, nature never ceases to amaze me. I guess that's what I love so much about nature, it's always changing. Nature is always coming up with new ways to challenge me and to satisfy my craving for adventure. As someone who hates being in the same place for too long, nature has always provided me with an escape route. Sometimes we tend to complicate life, and when this happens, nature is always there to help us gain clarity and peace of mind. In every encounter with nature, I've never been disappointed. Even when I fear that nature has thrown everything it has at me, I'm instantly proven wrong and confronted with another challenge. Over the years, nature has never stopped loving me and has never stopped showing me the beauty in life. Living life on repeat is one of my biggest fears, but nature has shown me time after time that routines can be shaken with a fresh outlook.

It's no surprise that time moves quickly, but nature has given me more time than I could've asked for in moments of vulnerability and healing. I consider nature to be the best healer of pain, and I can't tell you how many times I've had to rely on nature to get me out of some pretty deep funks. With nature, there never seems to be a bad connection. Nature is always willing to speak to your troubles and to help you gain closure and relief from the things that are getting you down in life. Many people resort to counseling for guidance, but I've found that the silence that nature offers resonates more profoundly with me than talking to someone ever has. There is no greater comfort in life than the ability to coexist with nature. Being able to appreciate nature beyond its physical state is something that's helped me grow as an individual. And I think that if we all decide to look at nature from this perspective that it will help us become more in-tune with ourselves.

I think what I love most about nature is its ability to transport me to places beyond my imagination. Over the years, the more I've opened myself up to nature, the more I've discovered and fallen in love with even the smallest details of the Earth. There have been countless times when nature has helped me understand and see the beauty in even the ugliest aspects of life. And nature's ability to make me feel comfortable with being myself has always been something I've admired about it. I've been able to experience some unbelievable places and moments in life because of nature, and I honestly feel that I would be completely lost without it. It's safe to say that my love for nature has never been stronger.

Most people think nature's purpose is to occupy a space on a postcard or to fill an empty photo album on Facebook, but there's more to nature than meets the eye. Yes, I'll admit to having more nature shots on my camera and on social media than of any other subject, but nature has always managed to keep me fulfilled in life. Being independent can sometimes have its drawbacks, but whenever I'm feeling down or just plain lonely, I always turn to nature to fill that emptiness. There's something about being outside and away from humanity that makes every fiber of my being explode with joy. I frequently get tired of the rat-race of life and find myself craving isolation. Without nature, I don't know where I would've turned in moments of despair. Nothing is more relieving than screaming from the top of a mountain after a long hike spent venting about your frustrations. Trust me, I've done this countless times, and it's the best feeling in the world. No matter how much you find yourself craving companionship or conversation, just remember that nature doesn't need to pencil you into its agenda like a person does. Nature is always available to talk, you just have to be willing to open yourself up to hear its response.

I could go on forever about my love for nature, but one of my biggest takeaways from my relationship with nature is that it has given me more comfort and clarity in my life than any human ever has. There are many beautiful aspects of nature, but what I find most beautiful is nature's ability to speak volumes without uttering a single word. If you're not the type to explore the outdoors, that's fine, but I strongly encourage you to at least try building a relationship with nature because there's no stronger bond on Earth.