This year sucks. It just does- from Covid-19, to the fires, to the uncertainty surrounding the election- it all just brings you down. That’s why I think it is important for everyone to have something that lifts them up, that gets them out of that depression cycle. For me, I think nature has helped a lot- looking out at the trees just calms me down and gives me this feeling of permanence that allows me to get work done. But I think you also need a reminder that life goes on, even if you are stuck at your house for 10 months or you’re afraid of going outside lest you get asthma. But that reminder needed a bribe- so we put out a little feeder for the birds, and they came (along with a cohort of obese squirrels). Now, I can just look out the window and see a bunch of little birds feasting on seed, and this, while small, makes my day’s a lot better.
Research also proves this; University of Sheffield found that having an urban green space that you can go to decreases your sense of loneliness. This is especially important in a time when all of us are staying home, and I think helps explain why I pay more attention to these birds than I ever have in the past.
https://theconversation.com/green-spaces-help-combat-loneliness-but-they-demand-investment-105260
