Some say the most memorable days often end with dirty clothes. We agree. A step farther and those who really love to get messy will tell you, “Life is too short to have clean fingernails”. Ha! Welcome a splashy mud puddle, a gushy hiking trail, or a slippery slope and suddenly you’re sloppy but happy and giggling.
Maybe we don’t agree with the fingernail thought in perpetuity but diving into loamy, beautiful, cool soil hands or feet first is a pretty special feeling and, of course, soap the great redeemer when all is said and done.
Let’s face it, the best showers are the ones we take after getting totally grimy. Just imagine it. You can’t help but “ahhhh”.
Why do we love playing in the dirt?
Research tells us that soil-based organisms, or microorganisms in the dirt, water and outdoor air (in the woods, on the trail, at the beach or park, and in the garden) are actual probiotics for us. They get into our gut and fight the bad guys – and they do so better than any drug out there. They right our immune system and amp up our mental health. It’s not just a placebo, this fresh air and dirt drama. It really makes our bodies sing. That our precious Vermont landscape affords us such luxury is beyond words.
In our so-called civilized society we’re constantly in fear of seemingly unbeatable bacteria or mega viruses. Yet we’ve spent too much energy fighting bacteria with nasty chemicals when, right at our fingertips (quite literally), we have the shield we needed all along.
The more we access the dirt and air of the outdoors along with natural, clean, healthy foods, the stronger we become. In such strength, should a super bacteria come at us, we’ll be better able to use a pharmaceutical antibiotic to help us heal. Without our own powerful system, on the other hand, even the most potent drug might not help.
Finally, the exhilaration of being active in the dirt in itself is a real treat to our heart, lungs, bones and muscles. They say gardeners and hikers live longer than those who do neither. Now we know why.
So get out there and get dirty! And, better yet, get dirty with those you love, because messy is always better when you’re together.
And when you get home, tidy up with natural detergents and soap, of course, keeping the real world real.
“If I had a flower for every time I think of you, I could walk in my garden forever.” – Alfred Lord Tennyson