NANTUCKET- A HAVEN FOR PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

In difficult times, I have tried to temper sadness with gratitude, consciously asking myself what lesson I was meant to learn.  In the isolation of 2020, I learned through physical absence something I have always known- the absolute importance of friends and family.  I learned, from not seeing people’s faces, the way a simple smile can transform an afternoon. I learned from being home with my sweet cats to savor the sun, the percussion of the rain, a languid stretch, a snack, a brief nap.  I learned the rejuvenation that comes from taking a break from the computer, zoom calls, and errands to cuddle with the cat purring patiently by my side, to take a walk in the surf, to watch the sun rise (or set), and to revel in the twinkling of thousands of stars lighting the night sky on the easternmost shores of this island.

In my walks and my solitude, I see the birth and death evoked by the natural order- early bird getting the unlucky early worm, seagulls plucking unwary fish from the ocean, baby seals and fawn frolicking in the shallows and in the woods, the bunnies that chose our yard as their haven.  I look for reasons for the ebb and flow of life as I mourn the devastation Covid wrought, the reality that life always ends, the tragic sinking/collapse of buildings, the unfairness that the lives of beloved pets and their humans are not coterminous, the challenges people of color still face in 2021.  

Pic K. Tejada

And then a finch lays its eggs in a hanging fern on our veranda and its blue eggs hatch into hungry little chicks, our newest and youngest ever guests!  The roses bloom in profusion covering cottages in Sconset and in town, and the streets smell like perfume.  The temperature here on island remains in my small comfort zone of 65-75 degrees and ocean breezes blow through sheer curtains and caress our faces, carrying the tinkling laughter of young children passing by.  And it becomes increasingly clear that while nature gives and nature takes, it also teaches us that love never ends, that we are more resilient than we know and if we still our souls, it can rejuvenate all of us.  Health and wellness are reset by getting outside (of our minds) and by getting inside (of the natural world).

Most of us spend the vast majority of our time indoors working, and in doing so, fail to reap the health and wellness benefits of outdoor time.  All of that changed in 2020 when remote working became the norm.  In 2020, we were able to go back in time to a different era when people were more connected to nature.  In Nantucket, it is easy to tap into the many health attributes derived from nature, including improved mood and optimism and the benefits of vitamin D (helps prevent chronic diseases, fights infections, regulates our immune systems), fresh air (helps prevent infection and lowers levels of pain and stress ), greater focus (we become sharper and more focused when we return to our work after giving our brains a break), and the inimitable spiritual connection to our environment.

Invest in yourself and some “me” time and book a stay at the Martin House Inn.  In our haven in the heart of historic Nantucket, you are warmed by the sun and cooled by salty ocean breezes in our gardens and on our veranda and can observe the rhythm of the ocean from our roof walk.  You can stroll through cobbled and antique brick streets, along the shoreline, pedal the expanse of bicycle paths that lead to all quadrants of the island, swim, kayak, paddleboard, sail, do outdoor yoga at Children’s Beach, picnic and so much more.  And then you can come home to our serenity gardens with trickling fountains and a fire pit, relax into our plush comfortable beds in luxuriously turned out rooms, and enjoy the property and the many nooks and crannies it offers for introspective thought.  Solitude, sleep, exercise, fresh air, and the process of being mindful and consciously grateful all promote wellness- a state of complete physical, mental and spiritual well-being.  Take time to invest in you, nourish and pamper and  indulge yourself, feed your soul, reset your system and reconnect with the brightest version of yourself you can be.