Where Are All the Children? Where Are The Adults?

My fondest childhood memories are those of me playing outside in the backyard, amongst the fallen leaves, the wet earth, the various spiders, rollie-pollies, and furry, thick, neon-colored caterpillars... With my small hands on the ground, my nose and lungs taking in the sweet scent of dirt and twigs, my fingers softly tickling the backs of the rollie-pollies to see them curl up into dark-grey balls... There was nothing better than those short, quiet little moments between Mother Earth and Me.

Those were the (not-so-distant) days before internet, cell phones, wireless video game consoles, wifi, Starbucks, iPods, iThis and iThat. (I like to call it: iDon'tHaveALifeAnymore). Remember the mid-to-late 80s and early 90s? Things were so simple! Kids were outside, yelling, leaving their bikes everywhere on the street. I even got yelled at by a neighbor for riding my bike across his front yard all the time!

But in such a short period of time, things have changed. Where have the children of the next generation gone? Where are the 7-15 year-olds? Are they all online? Texting eachother from their rooms? Stuck in front of the computer or TV? And where are we, the adults, the parents, the working individuals? Have we all become accustomed to living walled-in on six sides, even on the weekends? Have we forgotten that there is an outside world to interact with, to learn from, and to help?

On August 20th, 2008, I went to the ENC in Newport Beach for a lecture entitled: "The Mentoring of Regenerative Living" by Jon Young, author of the soon-to-come-out book Coyote's Guide. He spoke a little about Richard Louv's best-selling book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder, one that I am inspired to read as soon as I get some quality reading time! But most importantly, during his lecture, Jon reminded me of how important it is for parents to ensure that their children get enough time outside, without electronic devices of any kind (yes, the cell phone has got to go, too!) so that they can start tuning in to the natural world, develop their imaginations, and discover the beauty of the trees, plants and animals that surround them everyday.

Of course, this new "prescription" isn't limited to children - adults desperately need to reconnect with Mother Earth as well! For me, it comes down to what I call the "Quality of Life" question. How much technology are we willing to be bogged down by before we step away from it (if but for a moment) and decide to go outside and breathe?

Maybe it's not a question of technology, but rather one of lethargy, ignorance, or what the French like to call a "je-m'en-foutisme" (nicely put, an "I don't care" attitude). You don't have the time. Or the inspiration. Or an idea of where to go.

Whatever the reason for our staying-indoors way of life, might I suggest a small, yet amazingly positive revolution, one I call "I'm Going Out" (or for the fans of acronyms, "I GO"). We in Orange County are so fortunate for the plethora of natural resources and parks available to us on a daily basis. On the right of my blog are several links leading to the parks and Conservation groups in the area. Take the time to discover a place you have never been before! If you're unsure of the way, google map it! Ask a friend! Get involved in a hiking group, or call up the nearest nature center for advice! Take your kids, your partner, your dog, but most importantly, be sure to take yourself
(and all of you - mind, body and soul)!!! Breathe in and out the fresh air. Look all around you, and see what is looking at you. You'll be happy you did.