Whitney Swaim - Noland Trail (Outside Topic 3)

On the day our class participated in the drum circle at the Lion's Bridge, I realized some new things. Our instructor asked us to remove our shoes to become closer to the earth. I thought this was a nice addition to the afternoon's activity. Although it was chilly, the grass felt nice under my feet. The feeling brought back memories of running around the yard as a child, when my imagination was boundless. I realized that when I was little I had a much stronger connection with nature. My sister and I would often run around barefoot in the yard and make forts inside the large bushes in front of our home. While the bushes look small and plain now, they were so much more than that to us as kids. When I think of playing outside, I realize that I was similar to oral peoples in my youth. It is not to say that oral peoples are underdeveloped or unintelligent, but quite the contrary. As a child, like primal people, I was not heavily involved with the internet and television (at least not nearly as much as I am now). Instead of finding fun inside, I sought entertainment through nature. Experiencing the outdoor elements was such a sensory experience, and it brought my imagination and curiosity alive much more than sitting inside ever did.