As I walked through the woods this morning with a group of fellow naturalists, I listened to the group name any plant or animal species we came across. My mind would occasionally wander back to the other day as I scanned through photographs, looking for the perfect cover shot for the Outlook and discovering that mud covered young girl having the time of her life at our adventure camp.
As our group continued along, educating each other about the wonders of nature, I kept envisioning what that little girl would be doing if she was along on our trek through the woods. She would have been exploring every object in those woods, not caring what it was named or what characteristics it held. She would only have cared if it excited her senses.
Do you still have that excitement for nature within you or did you “grow up” too much to be covered in mud? I keep hearing how our children have lost their connection with nature, yet I too often see adults who have lost that closeness. Our youth learn from example. If you set a good example, your children will follow. If they see you rolling in the grass, then they may do the same… or they may think you had a few too many glasses of wine. If they see that you are not afraid to touch the harmless insect, they are more likely to examine it also.
Seek out the child within that explored nature with enthusiasm and excitement. Forget about the titles and absorb the wholeness of the world around you. Become that child full of curiosity again.