by Kathy Clark Smith

Created on: June 26, 2009

As a parent, I have realized that had it not been for my children, I would not have experienced many things in my life. I considered this very concept as I stood on the top of a huge dirt hill.

It prompted me to look back on the things I've experienced because of my kids. Our recent hotel stay had me whizzing down the waterslide in the hotel pool, a look of horror on my face as it ejected me horizontally across the water at lightening speed. Thanks, once was enough for me.

Years ago, I rescued one of my older boys from a local fast-food climbing structure. Once in the structure, I discovered the tube slide descends at an alarming slope and I understood why my toddler was terrified of it. I sat my son between my legs and we both went down together. To reduce our speed, I braced the sides of the slide with my elbows and ended up with three inch burns on each arm for weeks afterwards. Explaining the source of my wounds to those who gasped at the ugly scabs became very tiresome very fast. I do not intend to experience that play structure again.

One afternoon, I surprised my seven-year-old at school with the invitation to play hooky with Mom. His eyes lit up with excitement at the prospect of not only getting out of school for the afternoon, but having me all to himself. We started with a trip to the dollar store for a toy, afterwards out for lunch, next to the court house where I fought (and lost) a photo radar ticket and ended with a walk in the forest.

We parked the car and no sooner walked into the forest when my son wanted to explore down in the trees. Being in my dress shoes I suggested that he hike down in the trees while I stay on the path and we would walk parallel. No sooner did he start his hike, when he came across "the coolest" tree fort that of course, Mom just had to come see. After much persuasion, I started down into the trees, snagging my hair on branches and feeling spider webs tickle my face. I appropriately exclaimed my awe at the tree fort and proceeded to head back to the path. He however, had other plans in mind. Another pile of debris spotted, it was enough for him to encourage me to continue the exploration. Further into the trees we went and before I knew it we had emerged in a large field. The huge pile of dirt was nothing short of a boy-magnet and he made a bee-line for it. My son began running back and forth, up and down in glee as I watched with amusement the layer of black getting thicker and thicker on him. He began tunnelling a hole on the opposite side and ... you guessed it. Mom just had to come and see the tunnel. With resignation and a lovingly look at my business shoes, up to the top of the hill I went.

Once at the top, I knew that not in a million years would I have ever seen that view, had it not been for my son. The realization dawned on me that what my intention was for the day and what was the result were two different things. I gave my son the precious gift of my time and he gave me the precious gift of reminding me just how exciting this life is through the eyes of a child. Those three hours couldn't have been worth more.

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