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Why Adults Should Play in the Woods

Tom Purcell on

We were never bored or “hyperactive” because we were constantly outside stimulating our minds and imaginations and nurturing every one of the senses we use to navigate and understand the world.

“We don't yet know why it happens,” says Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods,” “but when all five of a child's senses come alive, a child is at an optimum state of learning. Creativity and cognitive functioning go way up.”

Woods explains that if kids can’t unleash their senses in nature, they lose their sense of being rooted in the world.

Rooted in the world?

That reminds me of terms that are not used much anymore, such as “down to earth,” which Merriam-Webster defines as “demure, humble and unpretentious” and “earthy,” which Merriam defines as “plain and simple in style.”

The origin of these terms is not clear, but being in the woods certainly teaches one to be humble and unpretentious.

Unfortunately, though, as Americans have moved from the countryside to large metros, millions of us have lost any sensual connection with the woods and nature.

As a country we need to get back to the woods more as adults. We need to go camping and wake up on a chilly, dewy morning agitated by the lack of urban comforts.

 

We need to be humbled and brought back to our “common senses” by the sounds, views, smells and demands of nature - so that maybe we can avoid some of the pretension and smugness that is negatively impacting our public discourse and bringing us so much government nonsense.

Incidentally, the night old man Miller brought me home, I thought I was in big trouble.

But my parents laughed at the old man’s angry pretentiousness as soon as he left. It was the first time in my childhood they didn’t side with an adult over me.

Lucky for me, both of my parents are down to earth!

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Copyright 2021 Tom Purcell. Tom Purcell, author of "Misadventures of a 1970's Childhood," a humorous memoir available at amazon.com, is a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review humor columnist and is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons Inc. For info on using this column in your publication or website, contact Sales@cagle.com or call (805) 969-2829. Send comments to Tom at Tom@TomPurcell.com.


Copyright 2021 Tom Purcell, All Rights Reserved. Credit: Cagle.com

 

 

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