It has become rather apparent that we live in a country not only divided by income, privilege, political beliefs, but also by religion, age, color, language, abilities, and ethnicity, and even our realities.

In times like these, what if we focused on what we have in common rather than what makes us different? We are all of the same genus, species and genome. We all have basic needs, including fresh air, clean water, and healthful foods. And we all need and want opportunities to grow, flourish, and pursue the elusive goal of happiness. We should be aware and act on the fact that a key ingredient in accomplishing some of these basic needs, such as health and happiness, is through nature immersion, ranging from nature exposure to sensory nature experience.


In our work as physicians, we have the unique opportunity of interacting with all types of people, from all backgrounds, and from many parts of the world. In our nature and health work, we promote equity in accessing safe nearby, nature-rich places, through the lens of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. We continue to pursue our goals of decreasing these gaps with regards to environmental justice. If we can put aside our differences, even for just a moment, and acknowledge what we have in common, including our universal need to take us closer to achieving our goals, perhaps this is the better path forward.

Let us not forget to take care of ourselves, so that we can take care of others, so that we have the groundedness to approach our differences not with fear, anxiety or hatred, but rather curiosity, patience and kindness. Spending time outdoors, going for a walk, or finding a safe place to sit, be still, breathe and notice the sights, sounds and smells around us will help mitigate the stress, and give us the strength and mental balance to find common ground.

Regardless of how you feel about these past elections, the fact remains that we are still a divided nation. We need to find a common way forward, and while we do that, we need to stay strong and healthy, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Much of PRA’s recent work has been focused on health professional wellness, and nature-based interventions, both within and outside of our work settings, to mitigate the effects of stress and eventually burnout. As public health professionals, educators, researchers, healthcare providers, land managers, and advocates, we ask that you make the effort to take care of yourselves, so that you can continue your important work to improve human and planetary health.