Scary things out in the woods

With the longer days of summer upon us the girls have found joy in simply exploring. Trekking into the woods surrounding the house has added to their adventure and their mother’s and my anxiety. Seemingly, through the girls’ eyes, each new tree provides an opportunity for climbing, each rock pile a new hill to hike, and each creature the perfect stimuli for their young inquiring minds. The ever-present threat of snakes, ticks, mosquitoes, and chiggers does little to hamper the spirit of our two Ozark girls.

As the sun began to fall last week the routine was unbroken. The girls headed out as normal and for the most part I expected, like always, to hear the joyful laughs and banging of branches as has become routine throughout their adventures. On this day it was a bit different. Just before dusk the door swung open and Lilli, my middle child, excitedly said, “You have to check this out.”

As she hurriedly walked to my chair, she raised her iPad and began describing this “strange creature” she had come across during her hike.

She began playing a video she had recorded upon encountering this unknown creature. She described that she was walking along and heard some rustling in the leaves. According to her she investigated the noise and “saw the strangest thing she has ever seen.” On the screen of her iPad, I recognized that this strange thing she saw was simply an adult armadillo foraging. As Lilli spoke, I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of just how strange an armadillo must look to someone who had never seen one before. Lilli continued to describe how the creature could care less that she was there and just walked around “sniffing the ground all crazy like.”

As I explained to her all about the animal she encountered, I thought about how often we encounter things throughout our lives which take us out of our comfort zone. Experiencing something for the first time can be frightening, leaving us hesitant to explore the entirety of this awesome world God had provided. It’s only when we restrain our fears and look on in excitement over the experience that we can truly allow the full potential of exploration to be felt.

Remember my friends, “life is short, and the world is wide.” Allow each adventure to teach us, lead us, and shape our worldview. When we do, it is then that we broaden our understanding and sometimes, every now and then, we can chuckle at the silliness which lies before us.

Richard J. Stephens lives in Carter County and is the father of three little ladies ranging in age from 9 to 29.