camping lessons

I love to camp...outside...in a tent. There's just something about it...the fresh air, the trees...the laughter of my children. It's good to know that we can all have fun without the tivo (me) and the video games (them.) But it's more than fun...there are good lessons to learn out there. Cleanliness...the dirt...it'll come clean with soap...when you get home. There's really no need to repeatedly tell your son to go wash his face...it's just going to get dirty again, and when skin is damp, it collects more dirt. Patience...the marshmallows...after all of these years, I have come to the realization that they are really better when they are toasted brown slowly and melty inside, rather than charred on the outside and cold on the inside. I still like them charred, but I do like the melty inside. Security...raccoons...it doesn't matter how tightly you close up the food...they'll get it anyway...and they'd rather have donuts than fruit...hmmm. Solitude...being alone...it doesn't have to feel lonely if you're happy with your book & your doodling. Beauty...it's all around you...in the swaying of the tree top branches...the blaze of the campfire...the sweet sound of my husband's song...an eagle in the branches, watching her own babies. My own babies are growing so quickly...they'll be leaving the nest in the blink of an eye. But behind them, they will leave beautiful pieces of themselves in the memories of our play time together...