Why Did You Stop Exploring?

There is someone inside you who wants out.

I belong to a writing group, Five Minute Friday. With only five minutes to write from a one word prompt, I am to post the writing, unedited. This week's word is "Explore."

When searching for an explore photo for this post, a plethera of pictures with children were the first shown. That proves the point I wanted to make on this week's writing prompt: Explore. What did you love to explore when you were a child? A path through the woods? The underbelly of a bridge? Perhaps you loved discovering new finds in your grandparent's attic.

Even though we had school, naptime, chores and a game of after-dinner catchers with our neighborhood friends, we always found the time to explore something new. Our sense of wonder was never satisfied as a new adventure was possible at every turn.

As adults we have bigger chores, jobs, kids, and little league. Have we allowed responsibilities and the have-to's of life to squash our love of adventure and exploration? That curious child remains within us and the more we tap into our inner child, the more spice we can add to our mundane routines.

The boy who lifted logs to see what lurked beneath; he is still in there. The girl who climbed a tree to spy eggs in a nest; she is waiting for permission to come out and play. Just becasue our inner explorer has slowly shifted to the bottom of the toy box does not mean it is not still there. Open the lid, dig down deep past the the action figures and building blocks. Pull him out, dust him off and allow him the freedom to discover. There is a whole world waiting for you. Why not start with that log in the back yard?