The bitter sweet feelings of a dying summer is tempered by a visit to the hip and hippy outpost of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Walking around it seems you’re either here for the year round surfing: young glowing 20 something with standard hoody and bracelets. Otherwise its 50 + German tourists touring this rustic corner of BC and eager to see a whale or two. We’re staying in what be could an overturned wooden boat hull, situated upon the clean sweep of Mackenzie Beach. Helen, always wanting to maximize the lads summer, finds that the Tofino Water Taxi has a $79 special for a 6 hour boat to Hot Springs Cove. The Eagle Craft cruiser we board looks very familiar. It is only later while talking to our skip Alistair that I discover that this is ‘Happy 3’, which is the same craft that Aquabus leashed and was the exclusive boat for Coke Cola during the Olympic Games.* There is nothing to still the soul, stand time on its head and make one ponder life itself than being surrounded by the greatest of natures creations. We were floating 30 feet from a migrating humpback whale whose broad tail fin broke the surface as it dove down to feed.
The value of being outdoors as put forward by Richard Louv in his book ‘Last Child in the Woods’ ** is certainly evident when my own boys delight in sitting in natural hot pools with temperatures of 50+ C. for 2 hours. My eldest son’s multiple cuts from mountain biking are soothed by the sulfur and sea kelp by the naturally hot water blasted from a natural crack in the earth surface. Who what have thought that they could hang out for so long without Ipod’s or computers?
This summer has proven that while holidays cost financially, for our children they are priceless in creating the rich experiences derived from getting into nature. By doing so, they learn valuable lessons concerning the circle of life. Being around adults that model a decent and good life has also been instrumental in developing their life experience. These shared memories of happy times are the mental treasure boxes which our kids can look back upon when they are adults themselves. Hopefully, they can be guiding posts and cues of guidance in their own self reflection. To have our good friends Paul and Liz in Dundas, Ont (who have two daughters, and we had a family holiday together this summer) share mutual attitudes on rearing children is fundamental in the shared journey of parenthood. That they give themselves freely is a precious gift we are indebted. I hope the feeling is reciprocal.
For now, it is all change again. Summer is officially over, and it is back to my other job as a Youth Worker. With the current economic climate, I wonder if I may be still have my job this time next year. Yet, another framed family picture taken in New York, which now joins the others on my work desk, highlights another great memorable summer together. As the adage goes: life is not a dress rehearsal so you better live it while you can………….for now:
peeeeaaaaaaaccccceeeee out sisters….
* (please see post on my other blog when I took a spin around the bay with Big Kev in ‘Happy 3’: http://inthecenterofitall.blogspot.com/2010/02/im-lost-big-kev-says-hes-by-boatyard.html).
** Louv contends that our children are becoming so disconnected from nature that they are developing what he calls ‘nature deficit disorder’ – where they are suffering the negative consequences we are all to aware. The social and mental aspects from a continuing solitary unstructured existence immersed in so called ‘social’ technology, may also include depression. There is some indication that children having more experience in nature can have a notably positive effect on calming children with ADHD.
skinnyscronnybrit.com 