Kids need outlets in nature and time spent unplugged. When they do, great things happen. Things like this.

What The Mountains Tell Me

Every day I go on a hill
To watch the mountains calm and still
They tell me stories of climbers climbing them with pride
Or little kids like you and me
Dreaming of climbing you see
That is what the mountains tell me

Stories old and stories new
Touching the sky, so blue
Giving the world eternal peace
That’s what the mountains tell me

Holding trees, bushes, animals and life
Standing strong, old and high
That’s what the mountain not tells me
But shows me
———-
This was written by an impressive young man who just celebrated his tenth birthday and attends our School Of The Forest program. He read it to SOTF director Tom Belluscio and me and we were both blown away. If you’ve got kids, get them outside. If you don’t, be a good ambassador for the forest. Immersing kids in nature leads to healthier kids and, in the long run, healthier forests.