As a child, I loved the woods near our suburban home, and particularly the creek that curved through the deepest, darkest forest; with
patches of light filtering through the giant cathedral canopy to the damp
woodsy floor, reflecting sky on moving water. The creek in the woods was my favorite space, with steep banks. Several fallen trees
created a pair of footbridges to cross both creek forks. The first trip across
the highest tree bridge was scary, but after a few times across, fear dissolved into confident satisfaction. When I was feeling confused, sad, or alone, the
woods brought me solace, and quiet.
I found a tiny pool surrounded by moss that was a magical space, known,
I believed, only to me. I was always fascinated with the constant movement and
patterns in the water, and how rocks resisted the gurgling flow. My parents were always
asking where I had been, and my response was, “in the woods.”
Flash the clock forward over five decades, and imagine a
perfect, sunny spring morning with my grandson, who called out, “come on, let’s
go to the woods,“ just as his mother did over twenty years ago when she I
explored creeks and forests. He just proudly turned six, and his life is an
adventure every waking minute.
We walked into the woods with his litany of questions, and my
answers on botany almost like chatter. When we found the creek, we paused in
silence, and then he was down the bank in a second, stepping from stone to
stone in the water. “Come on, Rod, “ he called, “I will help you,” as he
offered his little hand up to me. The next hour we quietly cruised the creek bed,
exploring the ferns, the clay strata, the amazing array of rocks and roots, surrounded
by the sounds of bubbling water and singing songbirds. The canopy of trees allowed bits of sun
to penetrate, casting a verdant glow on all surfaces, including his happy face, and in that moment, I
experienced joy as profoundly as I believe possible.
Standing in the neighborhood creek bed; the rushing water, scraping
down across the rocks by sheer gravity, and time, whirled past my feet, and I felt completely
connected to my child-dreams, and to the dreams of my daughter,
and grandson. He and I plan to spend some time this summer, exploring the creek, in the woods.
