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| Abel explores the banks of the Cut River in Green Harbor. |
My son, Abel, just finished first grade at South River Elementary
School in Marshfield, the place where I too attended first grade. Because, so
far, we have traveled similar paths, in many ways, I feel like I am reliving my
childhood through him.
It’s a treat to be able to introduce Abel to many of the things I
enjoyed as a kid. Although times have changed – the 2010s are in many ways
different from the 1970s – much has stayed the same here on the South Shore, in
terms of the landscape and the natural world.
My parents offered my sister and me a diverse array of experiences
throughout our youth. I hope to do the same for Abel. And thus I make this
pledge.
To my son, who is now seven:
You seem to have rounded some corner this year, where you are now ready
to try all sorts of new things. We are fortunate to live in a beautiful place
that offers an abundance of opportunity for outdoor fun and exploration. I
figure I have a window of at least a few years, before you are too cool to hang
out with your mom. And thus, before you head off to middle school, we will do
the following.
We will go camping. We will find a flat spot and pitch a tent, and
figure out how to get comfortable in the woods for a night or two. We will
invite friends along, and have a campfire, and stay up way too late, and wake
to the sound of the forest coming alive at dawn.
We will explore every aspect of the beach. We will find tide pools, and
don masks and snorkels, and stick our faces in the water to see what goes on
just below the surface. We will learn to bodysurf in the waves. We will investigate
the wrack line and see what has washed up on shore. We will walk on jetties. We
will stroll the hard-packed sand at the end of the day, when we need to unwind
and cool off. We will master the fine art of napping in our beach chairs.
We will learn more about the ocean. We will join our friends on their
boats, and view our coast from offshore. We will go on a whale watch, and – if
you want to -- take sailing lessons, or
surfing lessons. Perhaps we can find someone to teach us how to fish.
We will get to know our rivers and ponds. Just like your grandparents
did, we will organize canoe trips, and explore the North and South Rivers with
our family and friends. We will check out the Green Harbor River, and the
Indian Head, and the Jones. We will kayak and SUP (stand-up paddle board) in
the marsh creeks. We will explore the ponds of Plymouth and Pembroke. We will
swim in places other than our backyard pool.
We will get to know our local conservation areas. We will walk in the
woods, and through meadows, and along the rivers and the shore. We will get a
sense of our region’s agricultural history by exploring old farms. We will pick
strawberries and blueberries in the summer, and apples and pumpkins in the
fall. We will visit all of your mother’s favorite walking places, and try some
new ones as well. You too will develop favorites. Someday we will climb Great
Blue Hill.
We will spend time outdoors in the winter too. We will skate on frozen
bogs and ponds. We will go sledding. We will continue to hone our skiing and
snowboarding skills at Blue Hills, so that someday we can try the taller
mountains up north.
And we will spend time outdoors at night. We will take our dinners down
to the beach and have sunset picnics. We will watch the moon rise. We will
watch for meteor showers in August. We will learn about fireflies, and bats,
and the stars.
In short, I want to instill in you a “natural literacy.” I want for you
to be familiar with every aspect of the place where we live, and to develop an
affinity for it. I hope that, in time, you will feel a sense of stewardship – a
desire to preserve our natural world, and to protect it.
And I want you to see how it all comes together. When I was around your
age, my dad took me for a scenic flight above Marshfield. Someday soon we will
do this too, so you can get a sense of how it looks from above. Down here on
the ground, it seems like we’re surrounded by asphalt. I suspect that you –
like me -- will be astounded by how much green and blue you can see from the
sky.
Abel, more than anything, I hope that your innate curiosity will guide
us into experiences that are new for both of us. I want to teach you what I
know, but I want to learn from you as well. I look forward to the day when you’re
taking the lead on these matters: suggesting that we learn more about foraging,
for example, or birding, or even golf!
by Kezia Bacon
June 2013
Kezia Bacon's
articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a
local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration,
maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed.
For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA
at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 15 years of Nature (Human
and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com
