Nature's Dance

Osage Hills State Park – Creek Loop Trail

February 28, 2016 - 2 of 12

I had a dream. A dream of my daughter and I hiking all the trails in nature with only smiles and laughter. Reality … it’s going to take a while for my four year old to appreciate the sound of the wind through the leaves or the way pine wafts through the air.

It was a glorious day and I, just call me mean ol’ mommy, made my daughter go with me to walk the Creek Loop Trail at Osage Hills State Park. She really wanted to stay home with her daddy, who really needed to finish a paper.

I resorted to bribery, go ahead a judge, like you’ve never promised your kid a lemonade if they’d pretend to have fun. And it worked for a while …

I let her pick the trail, which she loved. I let her lead, she’s a natural leader. And then about half-through she was done and my little leader turned into a world class complainer. The wind was too windy. The rocks were too rocky and that grasshopper was way too large and grasshopper-y.

Finally, we made it back to the little creek and while “mean ol’ mommy” took some pictures of a small stream, my daughter made the world her stage and danced to the sound of nature. All her crankiness forgotten.

I couldn't help but smile and remind myself how nature affects us all in different ways. When I’m in nature I can hike for miles, my curiosity pushes me to see what’s around the next bend, even when my feet are tired.

When my daughter is in nature, it makes her dance.