Walks in the Rain

As my family and I started settling into our home life away from the world around us, we started to try and figure out new ways that we could adventure. Well it just happened that our niece wanted to come to our house and hang out. This is not a new thing, and we really enjoy all of our nieces and nephews company, but one thing that we started to realize about young people is that as they get older, their imagination for adventure seems to get less and less. And this can be a problem.

You see, our oldest son is 13, and the child that once imagined being a super hero, or one day fighting in battles, would prefer to sit on the couch and do not much of anything. The imagination and mind that once was wild and free, has seemed to be closed up. And I wonder all too often why this happens to young people, and why as adults we get stuck in the things that are in front of us, but can't seem to really grasp the idea of adventure, the unknown, and tales of amazing feats.

I myself, have noticed over the years that I have become more serious and less willing to go out on a limb and trust that things can and will fall into place. I am more of the analytical thinker now, and less of the adventurer. This is why I wanted to start thinking in the realm of Adventure Often, Love Always. You see I don't want to be a father that teaches my children to not dream big dreams, and I don't want to be an adult that squashes the innovation and dreams of the generations to come. But you see I digress. This is a blog post about adventuring with my family in the rain, but I do want to make note right off the bat that NO ONE wanted to go, except for me.

There is something about rain that gets my creative juices flowing. I don't know what it is. The smell of rain on warm pavement or the sound of splashes as the cars drive by. The feel of the cold drops as they hit your skin, or the smiles that children make as they get to enjoy these things called "muddy puddles" (thank you Peppa Pig). But storms and rain in general make my heart come alive. It makes me want to sit and read a book, to hear the cadence of the drops as they hit, or even better to go for a casual stroll with my family. So that is what we did.

So it was my wife, my niece, my daughter, and I. We got our gear on, and took off on the sidewalk. My daughter is a funny one, and she always wants to be the leader. I am very impressed with her ability to be herself, and really lead in a way that I don't see many lead. So I just let her go at it. So this little blonde headed girl, her bike with training wheels, and the adults that follow. We take off towards the nature trail in our subdivision to get a little glimpse of this amazing creation in our concrete jungle.

This trail is special to me. It is one that goes right by a creek, and when it has rained or is raining, the sound of the rushing water is music to my ears. It rushes with this fierceness and power. It pushes through logs and over stones. It doesn't stop for anything or anyone. We sometimes like to go through the woods a little and hang out at the waters edge, just to watch the water flow down stream. There is something about water that our family really enjoys. That could be the beach, a lake, the river, a creek, or really any body of water. I don't know what it is, but we tend to navigate towards places that have great water features.

Today was special though, because it was my daughter's first chance to take her bike on the trail. As I watch from the back of the group I can see her trying to dodge puddle after puddle, and to navigate her bike through this new terrain. She is a fierce one, and she is loving this challenge. Then it comes time for the big hill, and my favorite part of the trip. She turns back to me and asks, "Dad can you help me up the hill?". Of course I said yes. I want to always be there for my kids when they need me. And this was one of those times she needed me. Just the smile on her face and she pedals up the hill, and I give her that little push that she needs. Just so much joy in this moment.

As our adventure was coming to an end and we were almost home, I noticed I had been in the back of the group the whole time. And I don't know about you guys, but I enjoy just staying the back as my family enjoys themselves ahead of me. I get to see the smiles on their faces and just really get a new perspective on this family life thing that we are living out. I also get to survey the area and look ahead as they focus on the next step they will take. I get to make sure nothing is coming from behind, and when I think about what it means to lead people and really lead your family I think about where should be position ourselves? Most people believe that leading from the front is the best thing to do. And I agree that being a leader takes experience and knowledge of the things ahead. It takes someone willing to go first and to risk themselves for the ones they love, but it also means to put others first. Let them get the first fruits of the day, and I will take what is left. I really think that being first is sometimes overrated and that all too often we are looking for the next promotion or the next thing that will put us in the spotlight, when really God is calling us to put others before us, and wait on His timing, and His calling. So there is something about positioning myself after my family that really hits home for me.

And as we reach our door step everyone thanks me for the idea of Walking in the Rain because it is not always about the adventure that you are on, but who you get to take it with. And that day, I was in good company.