I enjoyed outings to the woods. There had been woods behind her house and at the end of the dead-end road I lived on as a young child. In those days Westerns were popular on the television. Many an episode of Bonanza and The Big Valley were re-enacted among the trees. Many “forts” were built. Many acorns were ground into “flour.” It was the fantasy realm of a small girl who read voraciously.
Moving to another state resulted in the loss of those beloved woods. However, new settings require exploration. As I made new friends at school, the discovery of a new wooded area wasn’t far behind. My brother and I were active kids. He found the shortcut to the nearby junior high where he attended school and played on the school’s tennis courts.
The next street over from my new residence ended in a dead-end. A large wooded area loomed and a narrow dirt path beckoned to all kids. The path wound its way a short distance before opening up to a clearing where paths branched off in a variety of directions.
To the left was a path through trees that opened up to the back of the school’s tennis courts a playing fields. If one followed a path that went fairly straight, it eventually wound up on some side street at least a half mile or more away. A path to the right branched off to a stream. Beyond the stream, another side street emerged. This sounds straightforward but the woods are seldom simple.
Paths tend to wind their way around objects such as growing trees or fallen trees. There are changes in elevation, tree roots, rocks. Depending on the time of year there may be foliage. Leaves, pine needles, and moss decorated the woods.
One mostly went along the trails on foot, but they were large enough for bicycles. I mostly biked through to take a short cut to the tennis courts. But there were occasions when a few of us would bicycle in, stash our bikes, and explore. A few times we brought picnic lunches. Hey, we were imaginative back in the day. It was so much fun to comb through the woods. We could monitor projects that other kids were building to dam the stream. There were various tree houses and forts in progress. A different type of playground, one with trees, trails, and a stream. Additional skill set? Yes. Additional manner of problem solving? Yes. Additional opportunity to be active and have fun? Yes!
Alas, the path through the woods became obsolete. The property was sold and houses were built. I know there were paths from streets at the far end of the woods but never explored those unfamiliar areas. Paths and trails are useful things. They get us where we want to go. They offer us a look into a different environment. They give us the opportunity to use the imagination. Heed Robert Frost’s advice and take the road “less traveled.” It just could “[make] all the difference.”
Stories Are For Eternity 