The dugout in the weeds or leaves beneath a backyard willow, the rivulet of a seasonal creek, even the ditch between the front yard and the road-all of these places are entire universes to a young child.

By bringing nature into our lives, we invite humility.

How can our kids really understand the moral complexities of being alive if they are not allowed to engage in those complexities outdoors?

We are telling our kids that nature is in the past and it probably doesn't count anymore, the future is in electronics, the boogeyman is in the woods, and playing outdoors is probably illicit and possibly illegal.

The real cultural war is between the culture of narcissism and what might be called the culture of renewal.

Nature is one of the best antidotes to fear.

The pleasure of being alive is brought into sharper focus when you need to pay attention to staying alive.