Your Contribution to the Natural Revolution
Walking along the beach for the first time for far too long a period between salt intakes had a different feel. Usually there are children in tow or even adults to consider, but this time I was surrounded by excited children, but they were not my responsibility.
Whitesands or Port Mawr in Pembrokeshire has always had a special place in my heart and the perfect place to reinvigorate and inject salt back into the system.
However, as I strolled across the sand and between the rocks and seaweed my Outdoor eyes and child-like character emerged and thoughts emerged and thoughts came to "wow look at that rock pool!'.
Reverting back to childhood I became excited about the contents of what might lurk beneath the surface and hidden under the blanket of weed? Looking around the beach there were dads doing the same, digging frantically to create a water system that would flow as the tide came in and fill the moat with basic physics and the understanding of the natural environment. Balancing and moving smoothly over the barnacle mats stretching out on the rocks, beckoning to the little timid slow moving person behind. In control of the kite zooming back and fro up and down spinning and turning whilst explaining the fundamentals of wind direction and aerodynamics. Mum telling the story of how the jelly like blob turns into a dancing waving sea anemone when covered in water.
As I watched these enthused adults introduce this new world to their children, it dawned on me how important the need for "The Nature Revolution" is to make our next generations appreciate the environment around them. Not only to find out that it had huge potential as a free wild playground but the hidden benefits of emerging themselves in this product would benefit their health, education and well-being.
As I walked through he rock gardens I heard a small boy ask his dad "which one is it that pops?" a small but fundamental fact about bladder-wrack (Fucus vesiculous - the original source of iodine) that he would not have known if he'd not experienced the audible sounds of the seashore. As I scrambled over the exposed rocks I met a sister and brother about to enter into a small cave. Shafts of sunlight danced across the ceiling like natural glitter, inspiring the feelings of pirates and dragons. After a few metres they emerged back into the sunlight smiling and accomplished after their adventure.
It made me realise that "Yes", we do need to show our next generation where they can taste, smell and hear the exciting new world which is not "screen-time", and that innate gene which drives our Adventure Literacy is not yet bred out, its just dormant. As adults we need to facilitate and open the door to explore Nature and then step back once the fuse has been lit and watch the explosion into "Green-time" begin to work its magic.
