Into the Wilderness

Every summer, a child and their parents leave behind the roads and houses. And with backpacks full of food and sleeping bags, they go into the wilderness. As they climb tall mountains and explore mossy forests, they carry their supplies. And really good trail snacks. As this child ages, they can carry more. Like their own backpack and, eventually, the map. They learn independence and bravery. And they learn that, when everything gets to be a little too much, they can put down what they carry. They can smell the pine in the air, look up at the cliffs and trees holding them in a great big circle, and they can let the beauty of the world carry them.