Dear Treetops Families,
This winter, I began a daily morning practice of walking in the woods near my house before I headed to the office. A lifelong lover of books, I would often pop my AirPods in and fire up an audiobook during my walk. About a month ago, I accidentally stepped out of the house without my phone and pods and made the conscious decision not to go back to grab them and just enjoy my quiet walk in the woods, without distraction.
Since that day, I’ve continued to leave my phone behind for my morning walks and have been overcome by how much I engage with the world around me without the disruption of my phone going off or getting engrossed in my audiobook. I’ve noticed my senses are heightened, and I’ve been able to observe the myriad tiny beautiful details that I surely would have bypassed before: the vibrant green of a bed of moss, soon after the snow melted, the rustle of dry leaves overhead as they danced in the breeze, and a beautiful, intricate fungi growing on a downed and rotting tree. In a small clearing where the sun peeks through, I take a minute to bask in the warmth and dose of Vitamin D, quietly thanking the sun for its nourishment.
In addition to my increased noticings, I’ve found that without my technology pulling my attention, I literally engage with the natural world around me. “I’m sorry, little duck,” when my approach spurred a mallard to quickly scurry downstream; “Who are you?” when I noticed a little bird that wasn’t the normal backyard variety that I can easily identify. And aware that we experienced a severe drought last summer, I’ve been paying attention to the water level when I pass by the river, and when the water line was a bit higher on the slab of rock I use as a measure, “Good job, little stream!”
I was recounting this to my partner the other day, asking if it was odd that I was chatting away to the birds and the trees and the stream, or perhaps just a sign that I have reached middle age. “I dunno,” he remarked. “It seems to me, it’s more child-like.”
That really struck me. I loved the idea that my connection and conversation with nature was also a reconnection with the child within.
This got me thinking about my campers. We frequently talk about maintaining Treetops as a children’s world and creating a summer of wonder. I think an aspect of this is facilitating these frequent experiences in nature, and how wonderful it is that on a daily basis, they are having the experience of unplugged, focused, yet playful and curious interactions in nature. Whether through the pasture on a morning walk to the barn, watching the mist burn off the mountains, listening to morning birdsong, or on a 5-day hike or paddle through the Adirondack wilderness, our campers are having the frequent experience of observing, engaging, and even conversing with the natural world around them.
I’m so looking forward to a Treetops summer of wonder, and truly hope that your campers are counting down the days, just as I am!
With gratitude,
Hannah Edwards
Camp Treetops Director