Take Me To Post Comment Form I loved the wooded area behind the house where I lived as a young child. To me it was an almost magical place. There was a cleared trail that ran the length of the trees edging our backyard, and I spent many long afternoons playing there. Sometimes I would imagine that I was Laura Ingalls, living in the Big Woods of Wisconsin; other times I would pretend that I was an adventurer, hiking through the dark and mysterious forest.

Not far back in the wooded area was a creek, its banks steep from years of repeated dredging. My parents warned me never to go down to the creek by myself. I suppose they were worried that I might fall in and be unable to climb out.

One day when I was nine or ten years old, my younger brother, Johnny, and I somehow managed to get lost in the woods bordering our backyard. We had ventured off the little cleared trail while playing a game and had made our way through the trees until we did not know where we were.

We wandered for what seemed like a very long time (but, in actuality, was probably only fifteen minutes or so). Sharp little twigs swiped at our faces and prickly vines scratched at our legs. Finally I saw some light ahead and knew we were coming upon a clearing. We stepped out into the sunlight and found ourselves on the grassy banks of the forbidden creek!

I knew that if we followed the creek in either direction we would eventually come out onto a road. So, Johnny and I turned to the left and continued walking, this time staying close to the edge of the creek. Finally we came out onto a street that connected with our neighborhood, and from there we easily made our way back home.

Today, when I think back to the time when Johnny and I got lost in the woods, I cannot help but imagine my own children in a similar scrape. My daughters, Rebecca and Anna, are still very young, but I know that as they get older, they will no doubt have at least a few close calls. Let’s face it, every kid does.

Of course it is the responsibility of all of us who are parents to make sure that our children do not get into serious trouble. That being said, challenging situations can end up being real learning experiences, and often kids are capable of handling more than we adults give them credit for. After all, what would childhood be without a few fine misadventures?