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Beautifully said, dear one. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️

My dad never bought into the new DisneyLand park in LA, even though it was a favorite Sunday show for my youngest brother and me. Neighborhood kids would drive all day with their folks to LA on two lane highways to get there, but not us. Instead we went camping in the ‘wilds’ of Big Sur. Close enough to the coast so Daddy could occasionally fish, but with evening Ranger led-campfires, trails and creeks and wild trout and secret swimming holes for us kids. We loved it! Mom caught up on her reading and suntan.

Later the folks bought a ski boat and we camped out for 3 weeks each June in a boat only-access campground at Shasta Lake in Northern California’s rugged Siskiyou Mountains. We got experiences other kids could only read about. My brothers’ first chore after unloading the boat and helping dad set up the tent was to scavenge the near cove shores for logs and drifting lumber torn loose from docks by winter storms. With hand tools they always built magnificent docks for us to tie up to. Mom and I designed our campsite around the provided sturdy table and cooking grate. We rustled meals from the ice chest and canned goods and staple like potatoes and eggs. Every week we made the day-long trip ‘to town’ to stock up on fresh meats and veggies. It was heaven and we were fortunate enough to realize how lucky we were, and what sacrifices our folks made to ensure we understood the strength and fragility of our natural world.

Dreams come in different packages, and as parents, its part of the job to make teachable moments no matter what the experience. My wish is for all to have magical outside-the box-experiences, no matter the age or tax bracket. It can be done.