Paddling "YooHoo River."

Our lakes and rivers in east Texas may not be crystal clear, but paddling on water that looks like chocolate milk still helps to clear my head.

Pandemic. Civil unrest. Racism. Economic ruin. Hurricanes forming in the Gulf of Mexico. Murder hornets? What's next? While I don't advocate sticking your head in the sand and ignoring the world's problems, I do know that we all need to clear our heads so that we are part of the solution, rather than contributors to the problem.

For me, spending time in nature reminds me that the world has been here for centuries and that, with or without us, it will survive a bit longer. As I breathe, listen to the songs of the birds, and watch the turtles and fish splash the brown river, it calms me. It rejuvenates me, and it strengthens my resolve to be better, to do better, to find ways to show loving kindness to individuals and support to causes that better mankind.

I clear my head on muddy water. What works for you?