Finding Fun Everywhere
By Joana Rose, Aquifer Field Crew Member / AmeriCorps Member
One hot summer day when I was either eight or nine, my brother and I went searching for bugs between branches and under rocks. Hands covered in dirt, we discovered an earthworm on the pavement of our neighbor’s driveway. For some inexplicable reason, this worm captured our attention. We watched it move, carried it around the yard, and grew attached to it. When it was time, we placed it back in the dirt to go home just as we did.
That memory is a simple one of mine, but it sticks out in my mind. It reminds me that I am lucky to have had that privilege: the privilege to explore the outdoors safely, freely, and with my whole imagination. That sort of “unstructured play” outdoors allowed my interests and curiosities to lead me. And those moments–like the one with my brother and the worm–have built my love for the outdoors and led me to Conservation Corps.
As we get older, we still play. Some of us play sports, some play chess, some press “play” on a film or tv show. But I think that many of us forget how important it is to give time to unstructured play. When was the last time you let your curiosity lead you…without any expectations except fun?
With less than two weeks of project work done, the Corps has already reintroduced me to my own curiosity. This past week, my crew and I have been working in a state forest near Welch, MN, about 50 minutes south of the cities. The forest has hilltops, a stream that houses beavers and their dams, and to our surprise: some really cool rocks. As we spent our first day there between the trees cutting and treating winged burning bush (Euonymus alatus)–a woody plant invasive in North America–our crew leader Lyn discovered rocks covered in purple amethyst and glittering white quartz crystals. We spent a whole half of our lunch that day searching for more.
The next day at the site, we discovered a small man-made cavern filled with beavers’ half chewed logs and a geocache–a small container left for someone else to find. Our adventures didn’t end there. Most recently, we explored a small hut that we saw from the hills as we worked. We traveled down the hill, over a stream, and through a yellow sea of dry grass. The mysterious wooden hut turned out to be an old chicken coop with another geocache inside. We left our names on the notebook, and followed the stream back to our truck for lunch.
It had been a while since I let my curiosity guide me, but the Corps has given me that opportunity. Remember to embrace those moments and find fun whenever and wherever you can.
