As we debate the merits of city parks with wood chips versus
sand, I remember my childhood playground.
This “park” did not have swings, slides, or a splash pad, but climbing
up rocks (with or without ropes) and jumping off waterfalls more than
compensated. My current encounters with
wildlife consist of spiders, bugs and one neighborhood possum. Back then no thought was given to such small
critters; we were on the lookout for deer, bears, and the occasional moose. It seems like an ideal way to grow up, scampering
up trees and swimming in icy glacial lakes where numbness set in the second a
toe hit the water. However, looking back
I can see the true value was in encounters with God’s grace and creation while
forming strong friendships on those hiking trails (or more often through the
underbrush as we forged our own way).
Today the experiences may be different, but the fostering of lasting
relationships can hopefully be replicated.
