The Great Outdoors

I had the best childhood a person could ask for. I can look back on any part of it and be filled with warm fuzzies and regret that I don't have a time machine to take me back to those amazing days with just a flip of a switch. (Who cares about the consequences from using said time machine that would result?? And the fact that memories grow sweeter with time and how, when I was young, I didn't want to be young, so I didn't realize that what I had was so fabulous. We're going to say all that doesn't matter for purposes of this post. Agreed? Moving right along....)

Sometimes I wish I could go back and just tell my 7 year old self (the age I was when we moved to the campground) that what she is about to embark on are some of the best days of her life and should NOT be taken for granted. So carefree and easy.

I had constant friends. Either from our next door neighbors (pre-middle school) or the stream of children that ran through the campground every summer, Chace and I never had a problem of being friend-less.

We had "fun" responsibilities. Checking in campers, taking care of their needs, working with my friends each summer to earn money. They weren't always fun chores, but at the same time, I spent more time with my parents then most children can say they do. Both my parents. And those responsibilities that I had were part of the business. I did feel important sometimes. Kids like that.

Then there was all the space. We had vast amounts of space to run, hide, play, swim, dig, climb, you name it, there was a space for it. The greatest thing about my childhood was all that time I spent outside. I think my love for nature directly stems from all that wonderful time I spent outside as a child. I am forever grateful to my parents for giving me and my brother that love of the great outdoors.

My hope and dream is for my children to share that same love. There is something so raw and real about being outside. I feel closer to God. I feel an instant happiness when I just stand and look around. Just now, even thinking about being outside, brings a rush of endorphins.

The problem is, there are many, many, many distractions to keep children these days (and adults for that matter) from going outside. TV is the obvious culprit. Setting restrictions on the amount of tv that our kids watch will help with fueling this love. Obviously I don't have kids yet and it's probably easier said than done but really, if my goal is to establish a love for "outside", then it's a necessary step in the equation.

And, as I stated a couple of days ago, this is something I am striving to do even now, for myself. When I shut the tv off, I have to find other things to do and one of those things can be to go outside and find branches and leaves for my next project (or whatever it is that needs doing outside at the time. That's my current project though. Finding free things in nature to dress up my house. I'll post on that later. That'll be a fun one.)

I have discovered that having a pet helps a great deal in getting me outside. And one day, I imagine it will aid in getting my kids outside. Every time I take Maia on a walk, I am so grateful for that "excuse" to get outside. Otherwise I would probably have never walked around our neighborhood. It's a sad fact, but I think I would have felt like a crazy wandering lady if I just walked around without an obvious purpose. (Our neighborhood isn't really a "neighborhood" as you would normally picture a neighborhood. There are no sidewalks and walking around the neighborhood is actually walking across and through the front and back yards of my neighbors' homes. So yes, it would look a little crazy if I didn't have something at the end of a leash pulling me along.) As it is, I have really seen where I live and not just the front stoop. I have also met some great people!

My goal, when there are DJ-itos and Nichole-itas running around, is to have a reason or purpose every, single day to get them outside. Even if it's simple like running around the yard playing a game of tag. There will always be a time when they must go outside. I would consider it a failure if my kids grew up and did not fully and personally understand the sheer magnitude of what is right outside their front door. (I'll update this is in a few decades to let you know how successful I was. Stay tuned.)