I’ve had a passion for the outdoors since I was a kid. I am the only granddaughter in my family, so I was always dirty and roughhousing with my older cousins. This drove my grandmother nuts. She was a hair dresser and loved to try to dress me up. I was almost always outside. At Western Little League games, you could always find me catching foul balls for grape slushies (if I didn’t come home with a purple mouth, I was a failure), hooking up a dog sled to Lucy and throwing tennis balls for her, or just exploring my incredible back yard.
I lived on the top of a mountain growing up (literally) and there was a path I found one day in my neighbor’s back yard! I used to explore all the time (pre-mom panic and GPS tracking on phones). The hike wound down the back side of the mountain; there was even a bamboo forest at the bottom, and then it led right to a tennis court! Could you imagine being a kid and hiking down a mountain to find a tennis court?! When I had friends visit, I would pack up a backpack full of Sprite, junk food, tennis rackets, and balls, and lead my friends down the hill to the tennis court in the middle of the forest. It was the coolest!!
This tennis court was in perfect condition, which looking back now I see as a “Sam, this is someone’s property” moment, but I was a kid! It definitely was someone’s property and my mom was floored when she found out where I was disappearing to. I don’t think the owner knows even now. Maybe I’ll send her this blog post one day. More than 20 years have gone by, so I can’t be charged with trespassing now, right?
I found that being outside is gold to me, and it started with my childhood. Being in nature brought me so much joy as a kid and still does as an adult. It’s the one place where all my worries or stresses disappear, and I can connect with all that surrounds me and be a kid again. I can hike, climb on things, pee outside, and be free!
If I have a stressful day or a lot on my mind, just a simple walk to the park or around the block puts my head back in the game and recharges me. It’s fascinating how so many activities we enjoy as adults link back to our childhood memories. Don’t deprive yourself of those moments that bring you joy because of your busy schedule. Make time for yourself. If you love being outside, take a walk, or if you love to ride your bike, go do it! Get back to those moments that bring you joy and bring some light back into your life.
