Good Tuesday Morning!
I have been thinking about “what we give to our kids” a great deal over the last little while. My parents gave me a great many skills for the wide-world today - they encouraged my curiosity and creativity. They taught me not only skills, but how to learn new skills, which is possibly the most valuable thing they ever taught me.
My Dad and I had a lot of shared interests growing up - mainly centered around being outside, and working outside, but I know that my love of cars and machines is greatly due to him. That said, we also had a lot of things that I didn’t totally get from him. He has the greenest of thumbs, and I haven’t had a successful garden as an adult. He went around the world to end up back on our mountain in central West Virginia - and he hasn’t left willingly (i.e. for fun) ever since.
I’ve been thinking about this with my daughter lately. I want to take her to the woods. I want to teach her how to hike, and read a map, and get lost and find her way home.
But what if she doesn’t like any of that?
What if she doesn’t like learning?
What is she doesn’t like getting sweaty and dirty?
What if she isn’t at all like me?
Unfortunately, as of this writing, I don’t have the answers to those questions.
That said, I’m going to try and teach her “how to learn”, and I’m going to work hard to keep her curious.
If I can succeed at that, I’ve probably done ok. If that’s the one thing I hand down to her, that will be worth it.
Hope folks have a great week,
Handed Down - West Virginia