“Uh, oh. It’s starting to rain, we should head inside!” To which my four-year-old grandson asked, ”Why???” He looked perplexed at my odd comment as he raised his head to the sky and let raindrops fall on his tongue.
I’ve always been a fair-weather kind of girl. Rain, sleet, hail, snow were not friendly elements, and they still cause me to huddle inside with a cup of tea and a good book.
But I live in Seattle! And if you’ve heard the rumors, they’re all true. We get many rainy days. Many. Often, it’s a light, misty sprinkling, but sometimes more. When my kids where little I decided not to pass along my avoidance of less-than-sunny-and-warm weather. So, I invested in plenty of boots, raincoats, hats, umbrellas and jackets. I bit the bullet and headed outside, like it or not. And you know what – it worked!
All four of my now-adult kids are athletic and outdoorsy. They all walk, hike, climb, camp and visit new places no matter the weather. And they love it! They report many times of beautiful, near-empty locales where they can absorb the world’s beauty in its more natural quiet state.
I feel like I’ve helped open up the whole world to my children, and their children, by encouraging them to enjoy their surroundings, no matter the weather. How about you?
Follow Elizabeth Pantley:
The No-Cry Solution Books
Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic Series
