Favorite Childhood Memory

Thinking back to my childhood and the moments I enjoyed the most, there are the same pictures popping up in my head. Pictures of my Dad. Pictures of fall, our mountains and the forest. Pictures of a picnic.

My parents often took us out for either a hike or a bike ride and a picnic when the days were nice. When I was very little he often took just me for a train ride. We didn’t go far. Just one station further. It was one of those tiny stops in the middle of the forest almost. I think nowadays trains don’t even stop there anymore. But it was just far enough to have a nice little hike back to town. For a little child a good, save walk but not too much. I remember that on one of those train rides I lost my favorite stuffed animal. It was a bear that played music. A dark brown bear. My dad spent what seemed hours on the phone, talking to all the different stops along the train line to figure out if someone had handed it in. Without any success. I guess the bear found a new home that day.

I remember many hikes, many of those walks with my Dad. I remember him teaching me about flowers you could eat and then of course the ant hill thing… He showed me how to make fire without matches and that you can use cow poo to get a fire going. Even taught me when conditions are right for catching the most trouts…

Later, when we had the horses my parents often took the bike to the area we usually had our picnic at and I met with them there. We had our system with the horses. Put up lines between trees and tied the horses up to those lines so they could move around and grace. By the time I arrived on my horse usually everything was ready. The fire was lit, the lines up and the branches ready to put sausages on.

I think the fall picnic memories are most probably my favorite ones. But thinking of my childhood and the quality time we got to spend with our Dad due to the fact that he was so much older than any other dad made many more moments spent together special.

Whenever I ski I think back of the many moments he skied in front of us children, making sure we get the right technique. He was a great skier, used to race and had just the most beautiful style. He danced over the slopes. I remember how I often stopped just to watch him ski down a hill, in awe. And I remember how he taught us what to do and what not to do. His words still echo in my ear. Always gentle, always nice, always in a way that everyone understood exactly what to do.

I just recently mentioned one moment that will also forever be in my mind. When my Dad told me what true luxury meant for him. When he talked about something close to his heart his crystal clear, smart blue eyes just mesmerized you. It was as if he was instilling the message into a place deep inside you through his eyes. They were piercing you in a good way.

In his own way my Dad managed to manifest a deep love, respect and understanding for nature in me. Through all those moments spent outside, doing what we loved doing. When we were out you could feel his enjoyment and it underlined each and every word he said. I believe that it gave “the lesson” the weight it needed to truly sink in. To be remembered forever.

My favorite childhood moments were about spending time together. The laughter, the jokes, the hugs, the light and deep conversations. Most of all the lesson learned in a beautiful way from a wonderful person.

Inspired by Danny’s Question Of The Day