My kids go barefoot often. They're not afraid of ants, or stickers, or (gasp) even chicken poop.

They know how to walk softly and mindfully, so much more in touch with the soles of their feet than I was at their age.

My kids are those kids that don't wear jackets if it's 60 degrees out.

They also don't wear sunscreen most days in the blistering Texas sun, but somehow never burn.

My 6 year old will tell you how to make compost, and what depth to plant the pea seeds versus the lettuce seeds. If he finds a seed, he will plant it - and he will check back to see it sprout and grow.

My 10 year old rescues bugs, but also isn't perturbed by the idea that her favorite chickens may become soup, some day in the future. She has an acceptance, a tender understanding of the cycles of life and death that I only came to terms with as an adult.

My kids' eyes are keen, and can pick out the smallest of animal visitors, far across our yard....hummingbirds, moths, bees. They can spot the differences between native bees and the Italian bees that live in our hive out back.

Their ears are attuned to the sounds of nature too - a cardinal from a mockingbird, for example.

Their bodies are strong, limber, and agile - they play their fair share of video games, but they know the spirit of nature, too.

They don't just feel the Earth--they are part of Her.

It resides deep in their bones, hearts, and psyches: They are wild children. 

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