Growing a Tree Hugger in Boulder, Colorado

Ever since my girls were very young I taught them to love nature. It was so ingrained in me, I had no choice. My grandmother with whom I shared a very special bond, read out loud to me even into my late teens. Some of my favorites were books like The Secret Garden and Lttle Women as well as Greek Myths. She was an English teacher. When I visited her in a suburb outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, sometimes she used to take me on hikes. This was a completely foreign concept to my own parents, so it was something very special when I was a young child. Later, she would have me tag along on walks with her local Sierra Club group. I never minded being surrounded by older adults. There were always at least a couple who had lots to teach about the area we were walking in or some of the special plants around us, or stories about some of the trees.

Both my girls have indeed become lovers of nature themselves. In fact, taking walks with my younger daughter has become the sharpest tool in my parenting tool bag. When I sense she has too much going on in her mind and needs to 'air out' a little I offer to go on a walk. And most importantly we set out on a mission to find some perfect trees to hug. Where I live in Boulder, CO, finding a place is not difficult. We are blessed and lucky to have so much nearby.

Yesterday was one of those days. It was overcast, threatened rain, but you couldn't tell when or if... My daughter was restless. Her older sister is mostly gone from home now between internships and school. That leaves her on her own more than it used to. I could tell she needed a walk. "Lets go!" I said. "I know the perfect trail." Only ten minutes south of us is a trailhead that looks deceptively boring from the road, but holds many surprises in the form of wildflower covered hills, and mountains that look close enough to touch. Glorious views of the valley that separates are an extra treat on clear days, and less so on a day that is gray, but still one had to stop and gaze for a bit. I was right. She had never been on that trail.

It was a special tree hugging day for me. You know when you hug someone in a rush, you kind of hold your breath and only let it out after you let go? Well, I have a friend here who happens to be a master hugger (he could probably make money giving hugs he's so good), but anyway, one time he made a comment as I stayed in a hug a little extra long and actually let my breath out and relaxed into it. That felt whole. That was an important lesson. Yesterday I allowed myself to hug a tree like that. And to feel it hug me back. With any luck I was able to pass that hugging and breathing lesson on to my young walking partner.

During the walk itself my daughter felt relaxed enough to tell me all about the thoughts in her head from this summer. We both had been on long trips but hadn't had the proper opportunity to really share our experiences. You know how when your kids are very young, you pretty much know most of the thoughts that are in their heads but as they mature, at some point you realize that you have no idea how far from you they have traveled. Thats a good thing. They are busy becoming their own people. But how lovely it is when they open up a little and share. She is thinking about complicated issues like feminism, and poverty, and justice, and music, and writing a movie script with a friend, and boys and peer pressure and school, and, and, it went on and on... Precious.

These are the days I will remember for sure.
Peace.