Life in the Village
This week, as usual, our Wilderness Awareness School village was bursting with life. Just as the Thimbleberry are leafing out, the Red Elders are flowering, and some of the Salmonberry are already thinking about turning sweet pink flowers into tart orange berries, we too have been going about the business of growth and development. One day found us honing our scouting skills through the art of natural camoflauge, sneaking and hiding games, and stalking adventures. This was preparation for an upcoming week-long scout camp where we will connect even more deeply with the way of life of a traditional tribal scout. Another day this week found us leading groups of youth school children in sensory awareness activities and games. For some of us this was the first experience leading a group of kids. For others this was one of many, but for all of us this was a window into the magic that happens with children who are nurtured and nourished in nature, by adults who truly see and value them. Our third day was more of a philosophy day where we reflected on some of our experiences and started looking ahead to the future. We spoke of the art of mentoring, rites of passage, community, and healing. This active group who might complain about having had to sit in classrooms in the past seemed to sit pretty contentedly for nearly six hours talking about big subjects. Sharing big ideas among a supportive community, putting our experiences here and in our lives in a larger perspective is very nourishing, equally yet different from hide and sneak games and interacting with children who are truly alive and at home in the woods. Our village is like that. There’s a lot going on here, a lot that might seem pretty foreign to a lot of people. But we like it that way, and so, I think, would any open minded person who gave it a chance.