Glorious Exhaustion
Children's Joy in the Forest
[no recording provided]
This abbreviated issue is written from a place of glorious exhaustion. Camping with children in the forest doesn’t offer the restoration of a day at the spa. It does, however, reveal how joy can be found by following a child through the woods.
Note: This is Capercallie in the spring, which isn’t quite this green here yet.
It’s Friday night as I write this issue, all others in the house are asleep or almost there, including our 7-year old and 4-year old grandsons. My husband and I will drive to their home in Indiana on Saturday (my tomorrow) to “return” them. We met halfway on Monday to bring them home with us. There are many highlights of their four-plus days with us, but the hands-down favorite is “camping.”
These two boys love being in the forest. The oldest, upon arrival, said, “This place feels like home.” The four-year-old eagerly starting looking for rocks to add to his “collection.” My husband made a move to unload the truck. I suggested he, instead, “come, look for joy with us.” He did.
Almost immediately, the rock collector spotted a treasure – a slice of a round rock in his path sparkled with crystals from its exposed center! He later used it to build a trap with other rocks and a variety of oddly shaped sticks to catch a leprechaun. This engineer needed only his imagination and the debris of the forest to create a extraordinary contraption.
Their last visit to the forest had been in late summer, when the clearing was alive with grasshoppers. Hopeful for a repeat of that adventure, I warned them it was not the time of the year for grasshoppers. Much to my delight, they found and caught a grasshopper. It was as though it dropped “out of phase” just to be in their path that afternoon.
The boys and I walked the “Grandmother Trail,” pausing for me to explain the shape of this marker tree and how she looks towards the location of the village. I showed them the strap marks on Capercallie, the tree shaped to mark the graves of tribal leaders. The older child suggested we pause and imagine what the village might have looked like. The younger wanted to dig into the depressed areas to find the bones. I explained how graves were special places and we would not be digging there.
We had a lot of snacks. We had a “picnic” of snacks from Buc-ee’s twice, using the cabin for our adventure. Last night we roasted marshmallows on an open fire to make s’mores. I indulged them in having seconds, which brought lively consequences at bedtime for the youngest. I discovered that the motor-home works well as a padded room for a four-year old needing to bounce around to burn off a sugar rush.
I did say ‘no’ to s’mores as the mid-morning snack.
This week’s issue is short because I haven’t wanted to miss any precious time with these joy-finders. Plus, there’s no recording because I really need some sleep before that long drive. I have lots of pictures I could include but I don’t have the strength to search and post one; I’m just including a picture of Capercallie in the spring.
I write to you from a wonderful place, a place of glorious exhaustion. I found joy by following two little boys through the forest. I pray you can find joy by seeing your world through eyes of child-like wonder.
Notes from Dr. Mac
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A bit of heaven on earth. Love this!