Opinion: Sharing nature and love with children

When you get down to the brass tacks, or bottom line, or whatever cliché you choose to use, life really has no value if it doesnWt contain love. Might as well be a grub worm.

I really can’t think of anything worse than not loving others and not being loved in return. Life without affection or human warmth has to be drab and dreary indeed. It’s been my experience that the absence of love often ensures depression, resentment of self, feelings of guilt, and fear and loathing; all adding up to an inexplicable sense of personal failure that taints every relationship and social situation. If you really want to destroy another person you only have to convince him that he is not acceptable in the eyes of God or his fellow man.

On the other hand, the presence of abundant love in its purest and most innocent form, the love that is showered upon us by children, for example, is heavenly. Sharing life with little people, and seeing the simplicity with which they often view the world, is cause for celebration and pure unadulterated joy.

Recently, my friend’s daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter have come to stay with her for a bit, while her daughter attends nursing school at Clarendon College. Therefore, her granddaughter Celeste needs a little attention from her grandmother and yours truly, while her parents are busy building their lives and careers.

So, for the past few months, I have become a part-time provider of good, wholesome attention, on an as-needed basis, primarily as the assistant to the grandmother. ‘Tis been an eye-opener for me, that’s for sure.

I’ve rediscovered that little people require an inordinate amount of close supervision, with copious amount of good, educational, and interesting learning opportunities thrown in so their development will not be unduly stunted.

So, what to do? Well, since Celeste spent her first three years in the Dallas-Fort Worth Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area, where learning about nature and the world around us are limited by freeways, criminal abatement activities, and too many people, we have been going the extra mile (actually about 30 miles per nature trip) to introduce her to the wonders and magic of life in rural Texas.

There is much to love about Texas, particularly the wide open spaces of the rolling plains. Rural Texas residents do not simply come from earlier settlers of the high plains; they are more accurately portrayed as the decedents of early conquerors of the plains, which were fraught with many obstacles and threats to our budding civilization in the Texas panhandle. Our ancestors had to conquer this area, not simply settle it.

One result of our ancestors’ historical struggles to tame this land, is that most folks are tolerant of adults taking children on nature trips throughout Donley County to learn about this area. The kind folks at the JA Ranch have been particularly tolerant of our nature trips along the county roads crossing the ranch, and along Mulberry Creek.

In case you haven’t noticed there are some astounding animals living in the pastures along both sides of the JA Ranch road, whatever it is called.

After commencing our nature excursions at the Dairy Queen for soft-serve ice cream dipped in chocolate, we then head south on Koogle Street, which turns into the JA Ranch road as it curves west, then south. We then settle in for a sticky (melting ice cream cones) trip along the road until the pavement ends. Along the way we have seen some unusual wild animals, including: Oryx – magnificent long-horned African antelope; feisty wild burros who spend a large part of their day biting and kicking each other; big-antlered Elk, majestically strutting about, showing off their unusual head-wear; and fallow deer, from Eurasia, also sporting majestic antlers. Throw in a heard of zebras, along with a herd of either young long horns or Spanish fighting bulls, and you have a cornucopia of delightful fauna that can be viewed from the safety of the car. There are also plenty of mule and white tail deer, along with a group of wild turkeys high-stepping about the place like they own it.

After visually feasting on the wonderful diversity of wildlife scattered along the paved roadway, we then follow the county road as it crosses the JA Ranch. Along the way we have seen a herd of about 15 feral hogs, the ubiquitous road runner (chaparral bird), along with jack rabbits, coyotes, and a colorful selection of birds.

Meanwhile, Celeste remains calm and quiet as she takes in the wonders of nature and finds unbridled delight in repeating the names of the menagerie of mammals we are witnessing, as we slowly make our way through the rich reds and greens of the canyons and lands visible along the sides of the road to Mulberry Creek, the final destination of our little nature safari.

Upon arriving at Mulberry Creek, we commence a short walk along and in the creek, noting the population of native minnows that seem to scrape out a meager existence within the confines of the narrow and shallow creek flow. The sand in the creek gives us a clear witness to the many visitors to the creek by providing a clear record of their tracks; from deer, cattle, raccoons, assorted birds, and cougars.

Celeste has discovered, first hand, the quick sand, which holds on to our feet, making walking extremely hard and scary, as we sink to our thighs and waist in the “devil water,” a pool of profoundly deep quick sand. It only reluctantly legs go after a suitably long struggle to work our way to firmer, friendlier land.

When teaching our children about the wonders and beauty of nature, in an environment of shared love, life is at its best. The natural world is wonderful place to spend quality time with children. They come to see the beauty of Mother Nature while also gaining a healthy respect for the natural wonders that God has wrought. Children can help us feel incomparable love if we will only let them.