Climb the Rocks!

My kiddos and I had the chance to go on a picnic to Ferne Clyffe State Park in Goreville, Illinois with my parents and their church recently. After we ate, we took a jaunt down to see the intermittent waterfall at the end of one of the trails.

I had visited the waterfall earlier in the summer with an out-of-town friend but I had been wanting to go back with the kids. We set off on the hike along the trail and of course, as is the norm with kids, there were complaints of "I'm bored!" and "When are we going to get there?"

As we walked along the trail, though, the lure of nature drew my kids in. I am a nature gal myself. I could literally sit outside for hours doing a whole lot of nothing. I enjoy being in the woods and I never get tired of what God's world has to offer. While my kids like nature and enjoy being outside also, they are of a generation that (unfortunately) seems to think that entertainment comes with a cord and electronics.

So it was that their initial reaction to the beginning of our hike was typical preteen eye-rolling at their silly mom. Once we got started though, and they got a look at the large rocks scattered through the trail, their tunes changed.

Upon seeing a large mossy rock, my youngest high-tailed it to shimmy up the rock, dropping her shoes in the process and declaring herself a monkey. Big brother followed suit then big sister.

Every rock that we came to had to be explored and given proper climbing attention by the kids. I couldn't help but smile as I listened to their excited chatter and giggles as they explored. I no longer heard "I'm bored!" or "I want to go home," and as a matter of fact, I had to almost drag them back to the car.

When we got to the end of the trail, we discovered the intermittent waterfall was not falling with water. There hasn't been enough rain recently and the waterfall was just an arrangement of worn rocks that beckoned. Before I had time to squeak out my mom warning "No! Don't climb up there!" my youngest "monkey" was scrambling across a log and up the sides of the high rocks. Her brother was right behind her and big sister was trailing along with a little more caution.

Now I am not very fond of heights. Seriously. I had to make a snap decision: I would stay on the ground and watch while my babies--these children I gave birth to, have nurtured and am trying to teach--scrambled around on high rocks and hope they are safe OR I would go along with them, overcoming my fears, and revel in the joy of childlike discovery.

It would have been easier--and more nervewracking--to have parked myself and yelled warnings from the ground. Instead, I let go of my fear--or maybe embraced it--and climbed up the rocks with them.

I pictured myself or one of my kids tumbling over the side of the rocks to certain disaster, but the truth is, I would do it again in a heartbeat. The kids and I had so much fun climbing and hiking and seeing things we had never seen.

Truthfully, this was very much like the life journey I am on right now. In an unfamiliar place I can hold on to my fear and do what is the safest thing, or I can carefully pick my way through the tough and rocky spots to discover the simple pleasures that may be waiting--hidden away.

My plan had been to walk to the waterfall then walk right back. Thanks to my kids, we took detours through big rocks, crevices, trails and joy. We all decided it was the most fun we had enjoyed together recently and that we count it as a great memory we created together.

Yeah, I'll take that and who knows, maybe I'll continue to choose living and climbing on the rocks over staying on the ground where it's safe.