A wooden stick wrapped in blue, purple, white, red, and green yarn.

Journey Stick

Life often brings changes to our regular routine. Sometimes it feels strange facing those changes. During these times, it is helpful to look to the natural world for support. The world around you is constantly changing, from season to season and day to night. Being an observer of these ever-changing moments can help us on our own journey in life and remind us that we are not alone as we face new things.

Take a Journey into Nature

Take a walk outside or stand out in your yard for a while, taking in all the sensory gifts that our world provides. You may want to bring a recording device or camera with you. If you can’t get outside, consider sitting by an open window. Or have someone bring some natural items to you. If you live in a city, nature can be found in unusual places; grass growing through the crack in a sidewalk or birds on a telephone wire.

What do you hear, what can you feel, what do you smell? As you spend time in nature, do you notice any changes? Try going outside at various times of day and discovering what might be different. Write down your observations or share them with someone. Try collecting a few things that will remind you of the changes that nature goes through. Things like fallen leaves, twigs that have broken off in a storm or feathers left behind by a bird.

Create a Journey Stick

Step 1: Choosing Your Materials

Think of some of the changes you observed on your nature journey. Using the materials provided or those you collected from nature, find things that will help you remember your nature journey. An example might be using a piece of textured twine to represent the feel of grass or using feathers to represent the different birds you heard.

Step 2: Wrapping the Stick

Starting at one end, use the yarns and ribbons you have selected to wrap your stick. You can add little bits of ribbon or other materials such as feathers or leaves under the wrapped yarn to create some interesting parts of your journey stick.

Step 3: Securing Your Materials

Tie off the yarn or ribbon to secure it to the stick. You can also use a small dab of thick glue if available. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have filled your journey stick.

Things to Think About:

  1. How did it feel to spend time with nature? Was there anything that surprised you, made you laugh, or was uncomfortable?

  2. What is your favorite part of the journey stick you created? What makes that part special to you?

  3. What part of the stick reminds you of your own life?

  4. Share your journey stick with another person and tell them how nature changed. How do you think nature feels about changing? What would you tell nature, to help them face change? What might nature be telling you?

Gratitude Activity

As you settle down to sleep for the night, take a few minutes to use your journey stick to remember your time with nature. Say thank you to all the sensory gifts that you were able to experience.