The sun had set hours ago. Most of the campers had gone to bed or decided not to make the drive until the morning. Two women and three girls were navigating an unfamiliar path through the dark woods to their campsite. A loud rustling of dry leaves to the left sends flashlights swinging toward the sound. A white creature darts through the light. The girls squeal with delight. The mothers quickly try to follow the creature wondering what is with them in the dark. Are they in danger?

Sounds like the plot for a horror film, right? Nope, just part of my weekend. No hungry monsters, vengeful ghosts, murderous hitchhikers or any other characters from stories told around the campfire appeared. The creature of the night was simply an startled armadillo. But its sudden appearance made me wonder- at what point do we automatically start calculating possible danger that may lie ahead? Does that get in the way of adventure, curiosity and the ability to fully enjoy life?

To the four and five-year-old girls, the armadillo sighting was the highlight of their first camping trip. On their second night, they even requested a second hike through the woods than another with the hopes of seeing an armadillo or a toad. I feared getting lost or running into something more menacing, like a coyote. The only “menacing” creature to cross our path was a toad.

A non-venomous black racer (or perhaps two) slithered its way through our campsite three times. They loved watching from a safe distance, marveling at how it moved. I feared it climbing into our tent.

A rock (a few feet high) was the perfect perch for them to pretend to be jaguars. I feared them falling.

Despite the rather chilly nights, sleep came easily and uninterrupted for them. I feared an animal making its way into our tent and may have had a horror movie flashback (or two). However, the only bump in the night came from a child rolling off a cot.

With age comes knowledge, experience, maturity and responsibility. It’s important to be able to identify potential danger and act accordingly. But being a full-time risk analyst can be stressful and suck all of the fun out of life. While the girls learned how to make S’mores, identify venomous and non-venomous snakes, follow trail markers and administer first aide, they taught me how to relax a little and just enjoy being in the moment. Can’t wait for our next camping adventure!