I love you isn’t always expressed in those exact words, but the message is just as sweet to my ears. When my 11-year-old niece says “Can we go for a walk” I pause, smile and promptly put on my sneakers. I savour several things about that phrase: the signal to slow down, the invitation to spend quality time with my niece and her voiced desire to be outdoors.
I actively encourage outdoor play, and whilst she is running around and I am struggling to keep up, it keeps me fitter, and spending regular time exploring nearby green spaces (including the backyard!). While the benefits for my niece and myself are well documented, I’ve become increasingly aware of the benefits outdoor time brings to me as well.
I savour the fact that she is not tethered to electronic devices as yet. Am sure it will come. It’s how much of business—and even schoolwork—gets done these days by being indoors and not outdoors. By being focused on computers, smartphones and the like can steal opportunities to bond with friends and family—to make lasting memories—when we fail to tune out email streams when the workday is done and to afford ourselves the gift of disconnecting.
That’s why I consider walk invitations and enthusiastic wildlife observations (“I see a butterfly!”) such loving expressions from my niece that brings such a wonder back to me and to feel like a child again sharing the outside world to her.
Just the sheer joy on her face as we lift up a rock together by the water and she screams with delight at seeing a crab run away and scurry under another rock as she grabs that rock and try's to find her 'Mr Crab' and non stop talks about it all the way home as she puts up a shell to her ear hearing the wind in the shell <3
Bringing to you this awesome destination today that being Apt B, and Culprit items that can be found from the awesome monthly event on now - Shiny Shabby.
For more information come take a walk to:
Destination: - Shiny Shabby
Seat:- Snuggle Up Hanging Seat (Rare) (New) @ Shiny Shabby
Wheelbarrow: - Snuggle Up Wheelbarrow (New) @ Shiny Shabby
Logs: - Snuggle Up Logs (New) @ Shiny Shabby
Rocking Horse: - Culprit Beloved Rocking Horse (New) @ Shiny Shabby
Sketchbook:- Apple Fall Sketchbook
Teacup Rose: - Apple Fall Tea Cup Rose
Cowboy Hat: - E-Clipse Cowboy Hat
