A few weeks ago, when my husband was at work we had a particularly hard morning. My anxiety was really making it hard for me to focus on what the kids needed, and I found myself watching the way I was getting irritated and snappy, for almost no reason at all.

So, though there were some protests from Theo, we went out.

Usually, I always try and give ample warning before an outing, so even though he can’t say no – though he is always allowed to say he doesn’t want to – he knows beforehand and can mentally prepare. I try and talk through getting ready, getting snacks and make a fuss of jackets and shoes. This time, I didn’t. But though he said he wanted to stay home, within minutes of getting out the door, the wildness in him comes through and he was racing ahead as ‘leader’ towards the woodland walk.

We walked, Ila-Rae had the option of being carried, but for the most part, we walked.

We had a small picnic and they watched the ants crawl on the crumbs and crust that fell as they ate.

We fed the ducks, and we watched the ducklings.

They ran, and played, and sat and watched.

I joined in it all… and outside, the to-do list of chores, the household errands and the ache of exhaustion faded.

Before going home we settled on a bench for a while, looking at the trees and water… talking about how the ground felt under Theo’s now bare feet. We spoke about being careful when there was glass, but also about how our feet on the earth grounds us, and connects us to the world.

He may be 3 but he is an old soul… and though I thought he might not notice much, he did – he understood the earth beneath him, and how it is part of the trees, and water, and world. I cannot remember what he said, but I remember watching him. I remember feeling the opening of my heart a little more, and the sigh my body took… and I know all I could think was, the trees are magic, and they have some of that magic inside them.

How incredible is it I get to share a little of that?

Xox

Rohana