Nature is a Baddie’s Best Friend
Happy Earth Day Baddies!
“It is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world.”
— Mary Oliver
Like birthdays, Earth Day can bring about waves of existentialism—that mix of gratitude, reflection, joy, and weight. For so many of us, life on this planet holds a balance of wonder and heartbreak. Nature has a way of catching us in the in-between and reminding us what it means to feel alive and connected, like we belong.
Two years ago, my younger sister started a new birthday tradition—we sit together in a circle around the person whose birthday we’re celebrating and share one memory we have and cherish with them. It’s quickly become one of my favorite birthday party activities, getting to relive these moments and hear about how one person can have so many different connections, forms of love, and lessons with others.
This Earth Day, we’re honoring the earth by sharing moments in nature that have helped us feel closer to our planet. Happy birthday, Mother Earth!
Natasha Lopez
I took this photo a few years ago, a few weeks before I moved back to the US from Colombia. I spent a weekend in my dad’s hometown with my family. This moment was on the hike back to the town from a farm where we’d spent the day hanging out. I saw this horse just munching on grass against the sunset over the mountains and was reminded of the chestnut horse my dad told stories about when I was younger. The horse’s name was Morgan. I pictured myself in my dad’s body and told myself the horse was Morgan. It’s one of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken.
Natasha from Montebello, Colombia
Shay Beckman
Sunny (left) is selecting a rock to act as a souvenir from our trip to Golden, CO last weekend. Jenny (middle) oversees the rock selection as Emily (right) looks on with intrigue.
While on a friends trip to CO to see our favorite artist, Remi Wolf at Red Rocks, the group reconnected with nature after a long winter in the big city.
Being surrounded by the kindest and sweetest friends while soaking in sun-rays (ofc wearing our SPF) is exactly what my heart needed. The mountains were breathtaking and the river calmed our nervous systems as we ended up laying on rocks and listening to the sounds of the creek, while dogs splashed and passersby chatted amongst themselves.
Living in the moment and digesting the senses of the outdoors with loved ones feels like an otherworldly experience!
Shay from Golden, Colorado
Andrea Hu
I was scouting out locations last year for a renegade my friend and I were throwing, but also #hiking
Andrea from Los Angeles, California
Simona Mortensen
Every year in early April, the Bernardine cemetery, just 20 minutes away from the Vilnius city centre, turns blue when its Scilla flowers bloom. Visiting this cemetery every year is like a ritual for many locals, including myself. It’s such a beautiful natural phenomenon to see in person, and it always reminds me of how important green spaces are in urban environments.
Simona from Vilnius, Lithuania
Carla Juarez
My favorite landforms involve water, like this lake in Panajachel, Guatemala. I often go back to this photo because it brings me happiness to know I was able to accompany my mom on this trip and witness her return to her homeland after more than 25 years. She would often tell me stories of her childhood in the highlands and how she’d missed touching the water from the rivers. On this day, we decided to get on a boat and cruise Lake Atitlán, a stunning volcanic lake with the brightest and bluest skies I’ve ever seen. While we were in the middle of the lake, both she and I placed our hands in the water, letting them float in there for a while.
Carla from Panajachel, Guatemala
Jazmine Brown
I spotted this red checkered pigeon a few weeks ago in the middle of Manhattan and took a step back in awe. It’s easy to acknowledge the mountains, the oceans, the forests, but what about concrete jungles? Nature doesn’t just exist in some far-off place. It’s all around for those with eyes to see it—including this gorgeous pigeon strutting in my natural habitat.
Jazmine from Manhattan, New York
We’d love to hear from you about your cherished moments in nature in the comments :3
I Wore Toe Shoes For A Week: Here’s What I Learned
A few months ago, my algorithm showed me shoes that revived my style sensibilities. Their government name is Vibram FiveFingers, but real ones refer to them as toe shoes.
Doing a week-long challenge puts into perspective how little or how much we ever actually have going on. Here’s how mine went:
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