“Fr. Aristotle,” I lamented, “I just want to be in and raise our family surrounded by nature.”
Fr. Aristotle looked at me. “Caitlan, God will always help you find ways to be in nature. It’s his creation. He loves it, too.”
I grew up in Orange County, CA. My childhood was filled with eating tomatoes off the vine in our garden and adventuring into the canyon from our backyard. Once I became a teenager, though, I wanted to get out and vowed I’d never come back. (I have a feeling I’m not the only teenager who has made such claims.) And truthfully, even after I came back, married and with a baby in tow, I struggled with being here.
But, it seemed that for some reason we could not fully grasp, God wanted us here. So, we prayed and waited.
And after years of not fully wanting to be in Orange County, we finally had the chance to leave due to my husband’s new job that could be done from anywhere. Put up the For Sale sign, and let’s get outta here, right?! Hmm, maybe not.
It seems the Holy Spirit was doing work on us while we were waiting for something else. It seems the Spirit opened our eyes to the natural beauty, loving community, and gift of where we are.
A year has passed since that conversation with Fr. Aristotle, and I realize his wisdom when I get to take nature walks like the one I took with my kids this week.
Had we finished the curriculum for the day? Nope. Did we all need a long walk in nature? Yep.
So, I took them to a trail—in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, for local or visiting friends—I hiked as a child, high schooler, and back-from-break-college-student. I knew the trail, and yet it was new.
We stopped to look at rocks, dig in dirt, and pick up sticks. We listened to scampering squirrels, chirping birds, and lizards rustling leaves. We identified a Lorquin’s Admiral, Pacific Poison Oak, and Spanish False Fleabane using the Seek app by iNaturalist. We even made leaf baskets inspired by one of our favorite children’s picture books, The Hike.
While I know this is a particularly beautiful part of the country, I also know I’ve been surprised by God’s beauty wherever I’ve lived. So, whether you are settled or seeking—where is God looking to revive you with his creation this week? God made it, loves it, and wants you to receive his love in it.
As a final note of encouragement: Fellow parents, it is never easy to adventure with our children, but it is worth it. Even when there’s snot, bickering, or lack of *ideal* conditions, it’s worth it. Why? For our children? Of course. But also, for us. Because God wants to reawaken wonder in us, fuel us with his beauty, and remind us that we are still adventurers.