Not all the time I spend with my grandson is structured. Often, I just want to hang out with him. And those are the sweetest days.
We sit on the ground observing the tiny bits of life and chatting. Or we just wander around, lazily casting our eyes about.
One of those ‘just out wandering days’ we were strolling through our favorite neck of the woods along a babbling brook that had carved its way through a towering wall of moss-covered rock.
It was cool and forest-dark, inspiring us to be silent and breathe in the ancient feel of the place. We were looking for a spot to cross when we noticed a huge green face in the wall of rock on the other side. It so resembled a sleeping ogre that we kept our voices low, and we gingerly stepped from stone to stone to cross the brook to avoid disturbing the creature. That place and that face and the way it made us feel are moments he remembers.
Once you see something like that, you are open to seeing peculiar things everywhere.
The clouds are a wonderful source of amusement. The practice of laying on your back and staring up evokes a feeling of nostalgia, of a gentler time when we stared up for entertainment, not down. Where else would you see an elephant leading a parade of alligators. At least that’s what we thought this cloud formation looked like.
Along that same forest brook, we discovered mysterious holes drilled into the rocks. I didn’t have an answer for how or why they were there but we did have fun creating a face after examining them. We added eyebrows made from moss and a round rock for a mouth. Then we laughed because we were the ones being examined.
Although forest walks are magical for noticing unusual things, not everything worth observing is discovered in the forest.
My grandson pointed out that the construction across the street had left a cat behind. And when he pointed to the pile of dirt, I was amazed at what I saw. It did indeed look like a giant cat face.
Children don’t need to be taught how to imagine.
They just need time… and a place where nothing is rushing them past it.
Next time you’re outside…
look twice.
There may be something looking back.