FOREST BATHING

I heard my husband, Steven in the kitchen so I got up off the couch and hurried in to meet him. “I've got a new thing!” I cried, holding out that days newspaper.

Steven sighed, “Oh no. Does this involve me?”

“Yup!” I couldn't help but smile. “The next nice day we're going Forest Bathing!”

“What?” Steven just shook his head.

“Aren't you going to ask me what Forest Bathing is?” I leaned against the counter waiting for him to ask.

“Nope, I already know.” He smiled at me as he filled his cup with coffee.

“Oh come on!” I waved the newspaper in front of him. “I got the paper from the driveway! You didn't have time to read the article!”

Steven smiled as he poured some cream into his cup. “I read the paper online this morning.” He went into the living room and sat on the couch. “I also think I'll keep calling it a walk in the woods.” He leaned back and put his feet up on the coffee table before taking another sip from his coffee cup.

“Well, I looked it up.” I sat next to him and scooped my phone off the coffee table. “I goggled it and believe it or not it's a real thing.”

“Oh, I believe you, but I still prefer to call it a walk.”

“But that's where you're wrong!” I cried. I began reading from my phone. “It says here that hiking is about the destination, but Forest Bathing is about an immersion of the senses into the natural world!” I looked over at Steven. “Doesn't that sound better then a hike?”

“Nope.” He shook his head. “I'm all about the destination.”

I had to laugh. “Well, I used to be about that, too!” I looked back at my phone. “But maybe they have something here.” I began scrolling through the different articles. “This one says it was developed in Japan in the '80's. It's the healing way of Shinrin-yoku or Forest Therapy. You go into the forest and take in your surroundings with all your senses.” I looked back at Steven who still didn't look impressed. So I kept scrolling. “They've already proven that it helps you relax, reduces stress and boosts your immune system!” I looked over at Steven. “Doesn't that sound great?”

“Walking in the woods does that for me anyway.” He took another sip of coffee. “I'm fine with that.”

“I wonder if anyone near us is doing it?” I began typing in my question. “Oh...that's too bad.” I looked back at Steven. “They don't have any clubs doing it yet.” I kept scrolling. “Oh wait! Here's someone that wants people to join a group she's starting!” I looked back at Steven. “She could teach us how it's done!”

Steven laughed. “Didn't you just say it's all about being in the woods and using all your senses?”

“Yeah...” I wasn't sure where he was going.

“Well, don't we already do that?”

“Maybe, but what if we aren’t doing it right?”

Steven took a deep breath. “You see the trees, you smell the trees, you hear the trees. Heck I've even felt a tree.” He started to laugh. “The only sense we're missing is taste. So the next time we're in the woods you just have to lick the tree and you're all set.”

I had to laugh. “Why do you insist on ruining these things for me!” I put the phone down on the couch.

He patted me on the shoulder before he got up. “Don't worry, I'm just here to stop you from doing silly things in the forest.” I heard him put his cup in the dishwasher before he called out to me.“You're welcome!”