Some of my fondest memories are of my family’s camping trips in the Smoky Mountains. My dad would load up the wagon with all the camping gear – the tent, camp stove, sleeping bags, canteens and of course, the binoculars – and we’d set off on our annual adventure, exploring some of the most beautiful natural areas in the country.
Camping was a special time for our family, because that’s where we learned many of life’s lessons, mainly from watching the animals and birds in their natural habitat. My brother and I would fight over dad’s binoculars. We loved to play a game to see how many different species of animals and birds we could each find. My brother would usually win; he was older. But we both loved to find a place to sit and wait for whatever wild life wandered our way. Those binoculars would bring us up close and personal with the animals. It was a privilege to be in the presence of God’s creatures.
The next Christmas, my parents bought both of us a set of binoculars, which we’d be able to take on our future camping trips. There’d be no more fighting over who got to use Dad’s field glasses anymore! Those binoculars are still one of my most prized possessions and using them brings back happy childhood memories.
