Connected to nature

I have always taken solice in nature.  I feel connected and cared for in deep and unspoken ways.  I found this poem by Nancy Wood that speaks for me:

My help is in the mountain
Where I take myself to heal
The earthly wounds
That people give to me.

I find a rock with sun on it
And a stream where the water runs gentle
And the trees which one by one give me company.

So must I stay for a long time
Until I have grown from the rock
And the stream is running through me
And I cannot tell myself from one tall tree.

Then I know nothing touches me
Nor makes me run away.
My help is in the mountain
That I take away with me.

Earth cure me.  Earth receive my woe. 
Rock strengthen me.  Rock receive my weakness.
Rain wash my sadness away.  Rain receive my doubt.
Sun make sweet my song.  Sun receive the anger from my heart.


Living in Chicago, I have learned to get connected to nature in the smallest ways.  Here I find the mountain in a stone I hold in my hand, a forest in touching the trunk of a tree, and a world of hope opening to me as the sun warms my face.

Peace,  Lisa
Lisa Catania, LCSW

Not one girl would stand up for me

I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember standing there with that panic feeling and having tiny beads of sweat dripping down my forehead. I also remember being by myself with tears stinging in my eyes as I watch the other girls walk by me as if I were invisible. No one would dare be seen with me for fear of what other girls would think or say or even do. I was scared to death about going anywhere including school, I had no friends, and no one with any common sense would ever try to change that. All it took was for the other girls to witness one girl saying something harsh to me and then I was quickly labeled “Unworthy.” Not one girl would stand up for me or extend kindness even when they saw my obvious pain. Simply thinking about it, even today, still puts me in tears.

At least now I can look at it as a valuable life lesson. It taught me that words can hurt, and that it really doesn’t matter what others think about you or say about you. If someone tells you that you aren’t pretty or handsome or smart enough it doesn’t matter. All that matters is what you think of yourself and you ARE good enough!

Now I am better at dealing with these situations, sometimes I can even stop them in their tracks. I have a few tricks I use such as:

I just think of my protective bubble that surrounds me and I think of things that I love or good things about me that fill the bubble up. All of the bad thoughts just bounce off. They can’t hurt me if I don’t let them touch me. 

Also, when I know that the people around me (like at school) are not sincere friends, I sort of bounce from person to person. I don’t get too close to anyone because who knows how quickly they’ll turn. I’m comfortable enough around them, but I know I am not tied to them and I can move on if I don’t feel like it’s a healthy situation for me.

I also find different people through different places. I join clubs outside of school to meet new people with whom I share a common interest. School is definitely not the only place to make friends.

I talk to people and tell them about my experience with bullies to spread awareness and it helps to get it off of my chest. It always helps. Not everyone understands, but these days, most do.

Anonymous, 12 year old girl

A note from Lisa: to understand more about bullying and to access some helpful links, click here:  help with bullying   Peace!