If you were ever a kid, and I hope for your sake that you were, and you are under the age of... 10, then you probably did not own a cell phone in the best days of your childhood.
Or a laptop.
Or an iPod.
Or have a television in your room.
Why? Because that is not what the cool kids did.
Well, the cool kids probably did have cell phones and laptops and iPods... but the REALLY cool kids didn't. Trust me.
The really cool kids spent their time bicycling, playing hopscotch, jumping rope... and my personal favourite:
Building tree forts.
Because the really cool kids had a home away from home, in the forest.
In a tree.
Kids were free to explore, get dirty, and not worry about scratching their cell phones.
Heck yes.
And of course, the had to be as secretive as possible, so you would scout for hours in the local park until you came upon the most perfect tree EVER, one that none of your mortal enemies (the other neighbourhood kidses - yes, kidses) would ever DREAM of trying to conquer.
After the fort was properly assembled, with random materials you would find in creek beds, deserted construction sites and ally ways, you would have to create a proper arsenal of various weaponry in case any of the other clubs tried to attack.
That is why, today, I am thankful for trees, yes - trees. Not because my house is made of them, not because they contribute to the global oxygen system, but because they were such a huge part of my childhood.
Climbing trees, building forts, making swings and hammocks... what great times we had!
So hug a tree today!
J
