Therapy

There is something therapeutic about being in the outdoors. When I'm out in it long enough my load seems lighter. I get the feeling of "getting back to your roots". I think that our ancestors spent so much time out in the open world that a little piece of it was passed down to me and now being out in the open world seems a little like home. Maybe, some of the therapy comes from childhood. On Sundays we would pack up and load the back of the truck with blankets and sleeping bags to go for a "ride", somewhere in the nearby mountains. Wherever Dad would take us, we went. I remember reaching out as far as I could to see if I could catch a passing leaf, or watching for deer, or Dad stopping to show Mom something and all of us kids in the back saying "Why did we stop?" "What are you pointing at?" "What are you looking at?" When we were board Mom always told us to go outside and play pioneers. Most of our summer vacations were spent out camping where we would have nightly searches, with a needle and match in hand, to see if someone had a tic that wanted you for its next cozy, warm home. Whatever the reason may be, I love the outdoors. We spend so much time inside during these winter months that I forget that I miss being outside where I can breath in that cool, fresh air. We live in such a beautiful state where there many different nature views. You can find dry, parched ground where nothing grows but a little brush and cactus on one end, and on the other end it offers gorgeous green mountains with aspen and pine trees. When Lindsey and Trevor were down we went to Snow Canyon, out where kids could be kids. They got "back to there roots" away from cell phones, ipods, laptops, the x-box and the TV. They got back to learning how to be with each other and intermingle. They got back to learning how to entertain each other, rather than relying on some electronic device. They laughed with each other and found new places to go, and new things to do. The boys ran, jumping off sand cliffs to see how far they could go getting sand down their pants, in their ears, hair, and where ever else was available for sand to fit in. With Lindsey's help, McCray built sand castles, roads and wanted to make a sand angle. Dessie discovered sand by picking it up and putting it in your hand over and over again. She was happy as a little clam just playing in the sand. I need to make more of an effort to get the kids out. Out where we can spend a day together, together in a much need therapy secession.