To expand mental horizons!
Allow me to explain:
Opportunity for a purchase of something wished for arose (after much searching) in Philadelphia, PA USA. We live in Houston, TX USA. I pack up the child and companion and send them forth in the truck. Half way there child of 11 years asks, can we go to Washington DC? Companion agrees knowing her chance to do this again in the near future will be slim. The side trip with a day in DC scoping the highlights now qualifies the travel to be officially considered a ROAD TRIP! (sans the booze and speeding.)
In Philly all I asked was that she be introduced proper to a Philly Cheese Sandwich. Liberty Bell? Independence Hall? Oh sure, I’d have liked her to see that, afterall, we just came from The Alamo two weeks ago. History is important.
YET – now when she sees or reads shows about the Smokey Mountains, she’s driven through them; sees various DC staples on movies, etc, she’s see them in person; knows what a birch tree looks like for she got OUT of the truck to find a geocache or two.
I recall the first time my youngest, MAJ, was 7 years old and met me in Seattle. Had not gone but 3 miles from Sea-Tac Airport and up a hill to get to the house.
First comment was, “Christmas Trees grow wild here!”
First question was, Mom? Can we go up that mountain again?”
Within the week we’d gone up to Snoqualmie Falls. NOW she knew how vast a forest might be, tall a mountain could go and wonderful the earth’s majesty was!
Yes, I put a lot of effort into my children and now this new fledgling whom has been taken under wing. It was/is my job to expand horizons from symphonic/bluegrass/hardrock music, modern/classical/impressionist art, Texas Piney Woods/Mississippi Delta/Chihuahua Desert and hopefully before she turns 12 the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Coast! Wish me luck!
