Well, at least the coronavirus reignited our love for the great outdoors

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If absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder, cooped-up Canadians are bursting with love for how beautiful life can be when you’re actually allowed to leave the house. Suddenly, every blade of grass is a blissfully unbridled manifestation of Mother Nature. Closet-sized condo patios feel as big as backyards; actual backyards have been promoted to “provincial park” status; provincial parks are upgraded to the furthest afield we can legally trek. Even just the shade of a nearby tree, like the one pictured here in Halifax, will do just fine. Canada is a land of bountiful outdoor spaces; our collective image is that of moose, maples, glaciers, Rockies, tundra and coast. It’s impossible to stay indoors. “Fresh air impoverishes the doctor,” goes an old Danish proverb. Our doctors aren’t in danger of impoverishment—but if a dose of the outdoors can help give them a break, let’s call it a win-win.