Project Wild Thing
My ACEs score is high. (ACE stands for adverse childhood event.) There were two things that helped to save my life and soul. One was that I learned to read when I was 4; this skill brought me academic success that was a mystery to my teachers who despaired about my constant acting out in the classroom.
The other was that I could escape from my house to the woods. As soon as I was able to play outside by myself, I was either in the woods at the end of the street, or, in the fields and by the pond of the farm across the street. I was safely alone to explore, to watch snakes, salamanders and frogs, and to dream. Being outdoors helped me stay in touch with myself, and created a life-long love for the outdoors.
I took my babies on long walks outdoors. They started out being carried for the whole walk; as they grew, they were carried less and walked more. They learned to pee outdoors without getting their feet wet, not an easy skill for girls. Today, long walks with my adult daughters remain a delight for us; it is easy to talk freely about life and self during a long ramble through the beautiful outdoors. We come home refreshed and feeling close.
The outdoors is still part of my life, as I walk through a manicured park and woods on the way to the commuter train. I experience the changing light of the cycle of seasons, as leaves emerge, grow, change colors, and fall to the ground. I see and hear birds and chipmunks and deer. I find peace and relief from the bustling city and the overcrowded suburbs.
When I saw the movie, Project Wild Thing, outdoors in a park with my family in Portland, Oregon, I was instantly thrilled. I love David Bond’s premise that children spent at least as much time outdoors as they do on screens. I want to do my part to ensure that children grow up living in, learning about, and caring for the outdoors.
Check out http://projectwildthing.com/.
