Nature has always been significant in the life of Zoli Ishikawa-Szabo, a second-year Western Washington University student. His mom played a particularly big role in introducing him to the outdoors.
“I was introduced to nature and that kind of stuff really young,” Ishikawa-Szabo said. “I went camping, I wanna say for the first time when I was maybe 2 months old, so it's been a really big part of my family and especially my relationship with her.”
Ishikawa-Szabo said his family loves going on hikes and backpacking trips together, and even created an annual tradition for his mom’s birthday.
Two years ago was particularly special for Ishikawa-Szabo. “I had just been abroad for about six months, and I came back and … we went out on a hike by Mount Rainier and that was just really nice to get to talk to her again,” he said.
Getting out in nature is a great way to spend time and create new memories with family. With Mother’s Day around the corner on Sunday, May 11, it’s good to have options for how to spend it outdoors.
If your mom enjoys hiking or mountain biking, check out some local trails. One route at Lake Padden Park offers a stroll with scenic views of the water. For more experienced hikers, take on the moderately difficult Viewpoint Trail to see views of Bellingham.
Hiking isn’t the only way to get outside this Mother’s Day. A beach cleanup event scheduled for May 11 at Maritime Heritage Park offers an opportunity for the whole family to get involved while protecting Bellingham Bay from pollution.
Seth Mangold, community engagement specialist at RE Sources, said events like this are a great first step to get engaged in helping the environment.
“They're a more tangible, hands-on way to do what our main mission is, of giving people the tools to make their voices heard, to protect our lands and waters here in the Salish Sea bioregion,” Mangold said.
Mangold said RE Sources typically plans their cleanup events around holidays, but the upcoming event is especially relevant since it celebrates “our mother that we all share, mother nature.”
Mangold said the event is great for all ages, even young kids.
“That's the other fun thing with beach cleanups, it is a family friendly event,” Mangold said. “We'll usually have, for the smaller kiddos, much smaller buckets and tongs instead of the full size grabbers [and] 5 gallon buckets, so that they can be involved too.”
Some moms may like having an activity to do while enjoying the outdoors, but others might want to sit back, relax and appreciate nature at a slower pace.
Pick up some lunch and lay out a blanket at Zuanich Point Park for a picnic near the water. Bring books or board games to do while soaking up the sun. In the evening, check out Marine Park to watch the sunset on the beach.
“In a healthy [family] system, I think it's great to have these meaningful connections because really what we're trying to create is memories and stories,” said Susan Fee, a Bellingham-based licensed mental health counselor. “Creating some fun experiences like hiking or cooking together, anything that's not out of obligation, is just a time to connect and learn more about ourselves through our stories.”
Fee said if someone doesn’t have a relationship with their mom, they should create connections with those in their life that take on that nurturing role. Having those meaningful bonds can help strengthen relationships, no matter how they’re built, she said.
“Mother's Day is in spring and things are coming back to bloom again [in] the same places that looked so ugly a couple months before, so it definitely is a great metaphor for reviving and nurturing our relationships with one another,” Fee said.
Sophia Raymond (she/her) is a city life reporter for The Front this quarter. She is a second-year news/editorial journalism major. When she’s not reporting, you can find her crafting, cooking and searching for new music to listen to. You can reach her at sophiaraymond.thefront@gmail.com.
