Bug Soccer

Today’s Challenge: Find a local outdoor outlet where you live; someplace you can go that's conveniently close and that has endless exploring opportunities, a park, a trail or even just a remote wooded area. Call it your swift sanctuary or rapid retreat. Whatever you call it, use it often.

We have four paralleling lines where I live; the train tracks, Main Street, the river and the freeway. Although Main Street's old architecture, bakery, art gallery, library and fire station are fun to visit, my favorite line to explore is the river. When we moved to this small town I was surprised to find such an extensive greenway system in place, which follows the river through town and beyond the outskirts. On those days when we're not feeling up for a big adventure that requires getting in the car, we head to the river. It's just a jaunt from our front door. And you know what Bilbo Baggins says, "It's a dangerous business...going out of your door. If you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."
On one particular morning we were having troubles getting motivated to accomplish anything in our day. Picture me and my three children lounging in our pajamas until 11 a.m., blinds drawn, watching television with unbrushed hair, picking at a Tupperware full of cookies we made the night before. Our activity level was, needless to say, ranking at the bottom with rats and other sewer dwellers. Eventually our lack of nourishing food and recreation led to grouchy interactions amongst us. The kids were arguing over what to watch and the baby was clinging to me. "Okay, get dressed and get your shoes on, we're going outside!" I said, surprising myself more than anyone. "We have to get outside of this box!"After a good fifteen minutes of moaning and complaining we were standing in the garage as the door slowly rose, the light blinding us as it trickled in. It was like a scene from a bad vampire movie.
The previous day we had gone to the library for reading time. The kids played some games and each received a prize, a bug catcher with a magnifying glass, tweezers and a net. So we took the new prize and our dog with us in search of bugs dwelling down by the river.
I pushed the baby in the stroller. Cru and Corbin began scowering the ground like metal detectors, in search of bugs. Skadi, our dog, was curious to find out what the boys were doing. She stayed close to them with a inquisitive look on her face. As the boys began turning over large rocks in search of anything moving Skadi would get her muzzle right in the action. In fact, the first rock they turned over Skadi sniffed an ant up her nose. She let out a repetition of convulsive sneezes. After one last sneeze with the simultaneous shake of her head I could almost see the ant comically flying out of her nose through the air. With each rock that the boys turned over a new colony of bugs was discovered; roly polies, earwigs, firebugs, millipedes and ants. At first the boys were a bit reluctant to get near the bugs, let alone grab them with their tweezers, which they called grabber nabbers. Eventually they got use to the scrambling insects and got a system down. "Okay mom, you lift and I'll pick them up with my grabber nabbers," Cru said. Corbin was designated as the container carrier and net trapper. "1,2,3 go", I said "Ah, grab it grab it hurry they're getting away!"
After lots of turned over rocks and giggles we peered through the magnifying glass at a container full of bugs staring back at us. The kids seemed amazed by the detail that the magnifying glass gave to the bugs. They could almost count each individual leg of the millipede. They cringed at the sight of the front pinchers of the earwig, and were entranced by the red design on the fire bug's back. But their favorite seemed to be the rolly poly bug. They were in awe of it's ability to change from a crawling bug to a rolling ball. They dubbed it what any young boy would, the transformer bug; finally something to compete with Optimus Prime and Bumble Bee.
We had gone almost the entire distance of the green belt and been outside for almost two hours and not even realized it. It was amazing. We seemed to have gone from the likes of sewer rats to actual human beings; discovering, laughing and (gasp) doing!
After adding a homey atmosphere to our bug container with some grass and leaves we headed for home. On our way Cru found a tiny orange ball in the crack of the sidewalk. It looked like a pellet from an air soft pellet gun. His eyes brightened as he said, "Hey, I have an idea. They can play soccer together." Cru put the ball in with the bugs.
Once we got home the boys eyed the bugs carefully. "They look sad inside this tiny container mom," Cru said. "They're not even moving." "Well, we better let them go," I said. "They don't like being trapped inside little boxes. They were meant to be outside in the fresh air, with lots of open space. It makes them happy." They were reluctant to let their prized catches go but they knew it was the right thing to do. As they tipped the container over the bugs began to scramble out and head for a group of rocks and grass nearby. Cru took the small ball he had found and set it by the rock near the bugs. "Here you go little bugs," Cru said. "Have fun." Once the bugs were out of sight we all headed back inside the house.
In my mind I could picture those bugs peeking out to see if we had left, and once the coast was clear them laughing as they grabbed the ball and organized their own game of soccer.
If you haven’t already guessed what I learned from this experience I'll tell you. The bugs and my family are very similar. Not only do we both love soccer but we also don't belong in a box! It makes us unhappy if we're inside too long. So now on those days when we're feeling low, I open the door and like Bilbo says, step out not knowing where we might be swept off to.

Leave a comment - Tell me and others what your favorite swift sanctuary is near your home and why!

"Man must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be; he must grow, not just vegetate." - Spencer W. Kimball (Miracle of Forgiveness)
"Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play." - Herodotus, Greek historian
"The healing powers of nature are only limited by man's idleness." - Mystical Batwoman