Walk in the Woods
One morning last week, a friend of mine invited us over to take a walk in the woods. Her home is situated on the greenbelt, and behind their fenced-in backyard lies a realm full of natural pleasures: crispy leaves underfoot, sticks just perfect for walking, tall tall trees.
As our busy lives chug along, sometimes we forget the simple joy to be found in Mother Nature. I know I do.
The children's senses came alive on our exploration. Their curious eyes took in the sights, fingers touched the rough bark of a tree, ears listened for scurrying animals, noses smelled the tang of dirt, and they felt the cooling November temperatures on their faces. To my knowledge no one tasted anything out there, but who knows? One of the toddlers could have snuck a bit of leaf or other detritus into her curious little mouth and we’d never have been the wiser.
The path we followed continued through the woods, under the arching curve of a bent sapling. It emerged into a meadow as it neared a road. I caught up with my friend and the three older children in a small grove of milkweed. Grown-up hands cracked open waiting pods and handed them to the waiting children.
Milkweed fluff waltzed above the small heads, the upturned faces. The blue-eyed toddler chased the feathery white pom poms with a grin. An impromptu snowstorm.
“It’s snowing!” I said.
We found a bit of magic on our walk in the woods. Little children love magic. Adults want to believe in magic. If a dose of magic is what we’re seeking, we can find it in the pages of Harry Potter, or in a good film.
And, beneath the fluttery white starbursts of milkweed sashaying on an autumn breeze.
Dana Petersen Murphy is a stay-at-home-mother who lives Janesville. Dana is a community blogger and is not a part of Janesville Gazette staff. Her opinion is not necessarily that of the Janesville Gazette staff or management.
Nov 16, 2009 at 5:21 p.m.
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Walks in the woods, in the Fall! It doesn't get any better than this!
I have always done a "walk" with the kids at semester break in Nov. Only have one in school now, (16) but last Friday, took that one and a friend shopping. After shopping... my 16 yr old asked if we couldn't "go down to the river and skip rocks", like we always USE to do this time of year!? Of course we did... and it was windy and cool, but we taught her friend how to skip rocks. That ROCKS!!! Nothing better, or more fun than spending time outside, skipping rocks, and swinging on swings!!
No matter HOW OLD you are!! It NEVER gets old!!
Nov 16, 2009 at 4:17 p.m.
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What a beautifully written and poetic blog!!! I agree that as busy adults and parents we tend to forget about the therapy that Mother Nature provides - for free! Is that why half of the attendees voted to have the greenbelt cleared out in Wuthering Hills? That was so sad to see so much nature vanish.
We can learn so much from our kids. It's amazing how they take in everything in life. My 3-year-old sees so many things that I would never have noticed on my own. If I'm having a bad day, my little one can really put things into perspective by helping me remember the simple joys in life.... like drawing a picture of our family, packing a picnic to eat in the backyard, or going for a walk in the woods!
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