We wake up 20 minutes early because I signed up to lead this thing at 8:00 and it would look bad if I was late. Dave’s (husband) throat hurts. The morning felt like a blur. Mike (dog) didn’t poop on his walk, but Honeybee (baby) pooped just as I put her in the car seat. I feel hurried and slightly worried. I’m trying to be nice but I feel slightly annoyed, just in general. I hate rushing. Why am I rushing, again? Did I really sign-up for this? It’s not even required…We miss the turn for the Arboretum parking lot. Crossing Monroe street at this time is an impossible task so I jump out of the van and grab an orange flag. Luckily, cars stop and I can cross….so can Dave in the van. I felt sneaky and a bit ashamed to have bent the rules to facilitate my hurry.
We arrive in the council ring. I’m here because I offered to lead a 20 minute workshop on fox walking. I emailed the staff yesterday saying that fox walking can be used in order to see wildlife…even as I was typing that I knew we would never see any wildlife. I never see wildlife. Does anyone, really? Maybe a few birds and squirrels. Maybe it’s because I lack the patience of being still and waiting, but probably it’s because I always have a dog, two dogs, a baby, or a bunch of children with me when I’m in nature. Today it was just me, and Dave. (Mary, a colleague, came a little later.)
Inspired by Dave’s stillness as he looks through his binoculars in the quiet, damp morning mist, I stand on the edge of the council ring and look out over Lake Wingra.
Movement catches my eye to my left. I turn my head. A FOX! Or a Coyote?! What is that?! I vehemently motion Dave to come over so he can see too. Fox doesn’t see us, and trots away down the path toward the “nest” tree. We both quickly fox walk to follow. All of a sudden, on this normal and extraordinary Thursday morning at 8:15 with sore throats and previously busied minds, we are tracking a fox, or a coyote, I don’t know yet.
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On the way into school we look at each other. “It’s been a great morning so far!” Dave says. It totally has. Being in nature as it is is a gift. Witnessing it with others creates memorable, shared experiences that cultivate connection. Connection to nature, to ourselves, and to each other. It seems trivial to call it a coincidence that we saw a fox, or a coyote, while practicing fox walking…so let’s call it perfect.
Outdoor Learning with Weslie 