A Universe of Untapped Potential
B and I adventured to our favourite forest pond this week, like migrating toads in spring we felt the pull to the familiar body of water. Each year since he was walking, we’ve visited this spot with a jam jar tucked into the backpack ready for discovering the friends below the surface. It’s a beautiful little place, surrounded by tall trees, grassy banks to lay our bag and shed the layers upon and just enough shelter from the mischievous wind which always seems to play there.
He’s now 6 and a fabulous little adventurer. His soul knows this place, whether or not he can remember the adventures we’ve had there before. We see how he relaxes, calms and quietens as he ventures further away from the car. This adventure was different though, I felt his body next to mine, his head now brushing my shoulder, his long legs striding out in front, he felt almost like an equal walking alongside of me. He’s more sure footed than he’s ever been, a relief from the tottering wobbles of years gone by. I no longer have to lurk behind him at steep drops or hover when he’s at the waters edge but like a Great Dane puppy he’s still growing into his ever lengthening feet. Every now and then he’ll stumble over himself, his legs all tangled and instinctively I’ll reach out to help him, only now he shouts “I’m ok” with his sing-song 6 year old melodies.
In the heart of every child lies a universe of untapped potential, waiting to be unlocked through the power of discovery.
As we approached the pond, we see a trail of dead toads on the track around us. A sure fire sign that the mating dance has been and gone, the unlucky few to still be out in the open picked off by predators or the rare vehicle which patrols the forest. B stops to inspect each one, remarking on the legs at funny angles or the gruesome way the bodies lay picked open. He doesn’t seem phased or put off, he’s seen this circle of life laid out before him many times. We have a small burial ground at Kith from all the fauna which has passed in years gone by, the partridge, the rook, the mole and plenty more beings which now find themselves under rocks of remembrance decorated by the children.
Hopping the fence (there to protect against enthusiastic dogs) we tip toe around the water-vole holes and find our usual spot- just by the edge with a rock to perch on when we’re ready for lunch. B immediately dons his backpack and whips out his jam-jar as I scan the edges to see if anything’s lurking. He knows the drill, it’s engrained in him through osmosis; step to the edge, look first, bob down, scoop, wait for the water to settle and see what he’s found, it’s a simple routine but one which has served us well over the years. The chill of the emerging spring hasn’t quite passed yet, I realise we’ve come a few days too late for all the toad-mating action but too soon for tadpoles, the pond lays quite still and seemingly lifeless. He scoops up a few jars with no luck so stands and peers into the water. In the heart of every child lies a universe of untapped potential, waiting to be unlocked by the power of discovery. His heart is willing something to move, to jump, to swim or fly in front of him and today the magic of the pond doesn’t disappoint. There, semi-camouflaged below the surface is one solitary toad, just sat on the bottom amongst the reeds.
B squeals, “I see somesching” (I will forever hold his mispronounced words in my heart) and I step over the bags to see what he’d discovered.
The toad sees our shadow and swims with such ease towards the safety of the muddy bank. B tries to scoop it up with his jar, unsuccessfully but he’s alive with anticipation now. Beautifully at the same moment, the clouds part and the sun, still gathering strength shines down on us. It ignites a chorus of toads around the pond and B and I look at each other with growing smiles stretching across our faces. We know better than to squeal out loud so the silent giggles flow between us bouncing from face to face.
From that very first breath, a child’s task is to learn through experiencing the world around them.
We edge towards the closest of the sounds but sadly can’t find the toads, it didn’t matter though, the experience was etched into our memories by then. A beautiful mini-cascade of happenings all coordinating in a short few moments of our day. Our pond trips are always filled with curious moments we can never quite predict. We love the space regardless of what we find, it serves as a reset from our usual day-to-day flow and fuels us for more adventures. From that very first breath, a child’s task is to learn through experiencing the world around them. Our job as adults it to make sure there are enough rich worldly moments for them to experience, or at least put them in the path of.
And if we slow down just enough, we see the wonder in their eyes as they watch tadpoles wriggling in a jar or spy a whip of a tail through the grass. These moments of discovery are not just fleeting experiences; they are seeds of inspiration that bloom into lifelong passions and dreams. We’ll continue to visit this beautiful sacred pond, what it offers us is so much more than toads and tadpoles, it’s the universal magic of childhood, curiosity.
Let us remember the power of curious discovery - the force that sparks imagination, fuels our inspiration, and propels us forwards in life in a universe of untapped potential. Today, as a radical act of self-care for you and your family, reconnect with that sense of wonder, that thirst for knowledge, and that boundless potential that lives within each of us.
