“I’ll keep you wild, you keep me safe!”

Have you heard this? Do you understand this? alright, here’s my best explanation. First, Let me tell you at an early age my mom and dad along with grandparents instilled in me a deep respect for God, his creation and his word the Bible. This phrase has nothing to do with that deep personal relationship, but on some level i guess can to some degree. But that is not the meaning for me.

back to “wild and free” to me is having a sense of adventure. while being a mom to a deafBlind kiddo… the adventure had to be tempered. I have to have safety in mind and many things are impossible with him in tow. That said, Camping, surviving and doing fun things in nature, country and wilderness settings are huge with me. In the wilderness I feel that it’s not so much of an adventure as it is a peace and home feeling inside of me. Also, it is a state of mind. My teachers told my mom that I had amazing imaginations and Adventures that I would write about and talk about. I loved the outdoors and animals. Like I said “wild” is a state of adventurous spirit that my mom and dad also had and shared with us kids. we had many things we had to do but also the freedom to run wild and free in our woods and play and just be kids and learn. That is something kids don’t have much of these days in front of a screen. I did not grow up with a t.V. because we did not need one. It broke when i was a baby and they just never got another. I’m thankful for this.

So with this in mind, I was the kid that would do and try things. Build forts, climb trees, build tree houses, swing up in them or down from them. Carving, building, wood burning or even building fires, making food over fires out of mud and tree bark. ok! stop right there. I was a kid. I can honestly say it didn’t taste good even after adding apples or pine needles. Are you with me still? Yes I tasted it. We swam in mud, we did so many things you would never believe half of the things I have done. Most boys would never try and for sure girls would not. tomboy? maybe, but just very active and creative and yes ADHD would be another word for it. In school, I would daydream and stare out the window or be tapping my leg, pencil or finger or bouncing my leg up and down. If i was not doing this i was trying to get a nap in.

So in all fairness, I’m the one that will keep you wild. I will be the one pushing you to reach higher and further. I will be the one telling you “you’ve got this”, “you can do this”. Others ground me. Others hold me back or get frustrated with me when i push limits, while I know I will be safe and can push some things others I might not be. I look at my first husband I was living in a city rollerblading alone. I had a stalker and when he first met me and learned all of this he said “please stop rollerblading alone!” I realized he cared. I listened. I called a friend to go with. I paid attention. The city wild is not my place. I feel safer in the wild wilderness than i do with people. Now married to Griz he sees me barefoot running in the snow to the mail box and tells me to put shoes on. But i love being barefoot. Or if i climb a counter in the kitchen to get something up high he gets rattled that i might fall. The thing is, barefoot i have perfect balance. shoes hinder that balance. I do not like shoes. I’ve recently had a couple of barefoot shoes where you feel most of everything except the sharp jagged edges of rocks and sticks and protect your feet. The benefit is great. I’m perfectly balanced there too. So when i say I’ll keep you wild? I will push you to explore your wild side. Your creative side. I will try to support you on Endeavors you want to try. I will try to find a way to also keep you safe. Being a mom and then a single mom for several years I had to both stay wild and find that balance to be safe for my kids and help keep my kids both wild and safe. It was difficult for sure. A perfect relationship is when one spouse keeps the adventure and one keeps it within bounds of safe. The roles can change back and forth but never should both always be safe or both always be wild & adventurous. Both of the guys I have married in my life helped me strike that balance. honestly, both probably would agree my wild streak is difficult to handle. I am not clutzy, like i dont trip on air. However, I have had some serious injuries because of being active and Unafraid to do things. Some of my injuries though were result of others and things they have done that put me in harms way or Direct blows. so when someone said “you are accident prone?” NOPE! probably more than a couch Potato for sure and because I actually am doing something you can get hurt doing. Bottom line is be adventurous. Don’t be afraid to venture out on something.

anyway, in life, find your wild adventure. start in your heart. what is something you consider an adventure and first plan, find that friend that will keep you safe and go for it. It might be just walking out your front door and looking around you. start small and keep going. The thing is getting outdoors in the country or wilderness where you can be in God’s creation and see and feel how much time and energy he put in creating all of this for us to enjoy, it will uplift you. It will make you think. You might wonder what your purpose is. Take the time to talk to your creator. Feel that peace and calm. It’s not as wild and scary as you imagine. It’s actually a safe place. ok, now what are you waiting for? Remember this… “i’ll keep you wild, you keep me safe!” now go. make a plan and get outside. ~ Country Wilderness girl