The painting reproduced here, Winter Walk, shows Robert Bateman’s wife, Birgit Freybe Bateman, taking one of the couple’s daily nature strolls.
The celebrated Saltspring Island artist and Officer of the Order of Canada is big on hiking. And he’d like you to be, too.
So here is Bateman’s tip for Christmas Day. Before indulging in that big Christmas meal, take a long walk. Get those legs moving. Commune with nature.
That’s what his family does every Christmas Day. Always has. It’s a Bateman tradition.
It’s not an option “for a kid to say, ‘Oh, I’m not in the mood, or I’m in the middle of a video game,’ ” he said with a laugh.
This Christmas, the Toronto-born painter and environmentalist will host a large gathering of the clan. Eighteen all told, including children and grandchildren. They will hike the nature trails beside his home, whether it’s rainy, snowy or sunny.
It’s partly for physical and mental health. Bateman notes that in Japan, office workers take part in “forest therapy,” going on nature walks of less than one hour. Studies indicate a decrease in blood pressure lowers cortisol levels (the so-called stress hormone), improves immune systems and boosts mental acuity.
That’s good. But there’s more to it than that. Bateman believes getting out in the wild regularly causes one to “fall in love with nature.” This, in turn, makes people more likely to care about the environment.
Conversely, those who spend all their time indoors risk becoming disconnected from the natural world.
“Some families spend zero time out in nature. And they spend seven hours a day, seven days a week, looking at a screen. That’s very unhealthy,” Bateman said.
The painter said the other rule for nature walks is: Leave those electronic devices at home. This can be tough for smartphone addicts.
It’s a must, however.
“We just go and have fun as a family. And we talk to each other. And we pay attention to nature.”
