How do you get to work? Are you sardined into a commuter train/tram/bus lurching in unison with the vehicle’s motion? Do you drive in a swarm of traffic that leaves you stressed and anxious at the start of the day? Or, do you walk to work like a do – along a pathway like this?

Does it matter?  As long as you get there – on time, ready to start the day. Right?

What a refreshing change it is to walk to work and see this beauty en route!  You notice the colours, the crisp air, the patterns of the last snowfall.  And, I would have to say it has a lovely calming effect on your day.

I am working as a Mountain Host at Mt Hotham, helping out at the children’s ski school in the mornings. I work with two others and we are there to decrease the confusion: point people in the right direction for lessons; answer questions; help work out the paperwork and so on.

At the ski school enthusiastic children and concerned parents – sometimes anxious, other times relaxed – converge on one site.  Depending on the day of the week (Mondays and Tuesdays are busiest) and the time of the year (school holidays and August are peak periods) we are greeted by chaos or calm.  Our job really seems to be to listen and provide simple solutions to help the families navigate through seems to the uninitiated, like a complex process. (I am sure there are many other factors at play in the background too.)

When you are happy, you can forgive a great deal.
Princess Diana

After walking to work along the avenue of snow gums, following a night of snowfalls, on a crystal-clear blue-sky day – it seems easy to bring calmness to the role. I resist the urge to stop and photograph more scenes, so compelling is this beauty. What if all of us could factor in part of our daily commute to include a short walk?  Something that gave us an opportunity to take in fresh air, see the trees as well as the wood, and set ourselves up for a great day at work.

What difference would it make to workplaces, if people would take a nature walk on the way to work?