Of Rocks and Reading
Travel Log: 28 June 2012
My parents like to tell the story of how on the day I was born one of them was holding me looking over their shoulder and, with my eyes wide open, I was immediately trying to climb over their shoulder, to get moving, to see the world, to not be contained, and not be forced to sit still.
I've said it before, but to this day I am still that way.
Except on the North Shore.*
In 2004, at 4 & 2, our boys had bounds and bounds and bounds and bounds and bounds of energy requiring bounds and bounds and bounds of energy by me chasing them around. But when we went to the North Shore / Lake Superior that very first time with them, for what also felt like the first time in my entire parenting life, the boys were completely entertained for (and I mean) literally 8 hours straight. I hinted earlier that they threw rocks, but honest to goodness, (and I mean) literally 8 hours straight the boys threw rocks into the lake. They collected rocks of all shapes and colors. They threw more rocks into the lake. They never ran out of rocks. They never got bored. They only needed me to remind them to stand next to their brother when throwing rocks, not behind him, and then they kept right on throwing rocks. They never stopped.
And I had nothing to do.
For the first time in forever.
So I actually read a book.
Silently, in my head, read a book.
Not a Newbery or Caldecott Medal winning book (no offense!). A real life book for me. I had nothing else to do but sit still and read a book while the boys were in heaven. It was painful that first time, a weird yet wonderful moment. It happened in 2009, 2011, and 2012...
After years of visits to the North Shore, now with 3 kids, ages 11,10, & 7, the same phenomena holds true (even at ages 14,12, & 9!). For hours on end the Three throw rocks, find rocks, build something with rocks, and throw rocks some more... all the while, I actually sit still. And read. All day long. It is a magical place indeed.
*Or when I broke my foot. But I never plan on doing that again. Oy! :)!
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