a magical space created by nature

There was a huge storm earlier this week and as a result Mother Nature left some destruction across the city.  Rather than focus on the chaos caused by the storm, I'd rather like to think of it as opportunities to explore.  Yesterday at the park the little person made an amazing discovery!  A large tree had uprooted and fallen to the side.

This of course needed to be investigated!  This perspective gave the little person the perfect opportunity to examine the roots up close since they are usually buried deep within the ground.

Once the outside of the tree had been thoroughly investigated the little person was ready to begin his adventure in the underbrush.  Armed with two large sticks, the little person bravely entered the secret space by walking under a large fallen branch.

Once he had taken the risk to enter this new space, the little person began exploring the new terrain!  Because the tree had fallen naturally, the branches were tangled and out of order.  This randomness provided the opportunity for the little person (and many other children at the park that day) to problem solve as they figured out the best routes to move about under the brush and to be daring explorers as the entered hidden coves unseen by the outside world.

Magical spaces like this are often a rarity in the over designed, over plastic world our children live in and I am grateful that, at least until the park district removes it, the children had the opportunity to be bold adventures in nature in the center of the city.