Into Adventure

April 4, 2024

Soon, my husband and I will drive three hours northwest for the sole purpose of looking up at the sky. “Listen, if it’s really cloudy that day…” my husband starts. But I interrupt: “I don’t care what the weather is. I’m going into the Zone of Totality. If I don’t, I’d never hear the end of it from Deb.”

"Deb" is Debra Ross, my friend and boss; you read her column here each week. She has spent the last 7 years talking about the total solar eclipse coming up on April 8th. A small part of me fears what will happen when the eclipse has stopped eclipsing Deb's publisher duties and she turns her (sometimes blinding-bright) full attention and energy back to running KidsOutAndAbout. But for the moment, Deb is feverishly eclipse-promoting, you have your last few days to plan for E-Day, and I have a few days of quiet. So I suggested that I write today's column. 

Only 7 years ago, Deb wasn't excited about eclipses. “I can’t believe that,” said my husband. “She’s a super-nerd.” (This coming from a man who had a rat named Einstein growing up.) But it's true: Deb’s daughter Ella wanted to go into totality for the 2017 eclipse when she was 16, and Deb was being A Supportive Mom™. The experience transformed Deb from skeptic to super-fan. And it's come full circle: Ella, now a video editor, was hired by the American Astronomical Society to create a  documentary, The Path to The Path, showcasing the task force's decade-long labor of love. My favorite part of the film happens at about the 20-minute mark.

Deb was a little appalled that Ella left that scene in, but I think it's great. It reminds us that following kids’ leads and supporting their interests can bring unexpected rewards. As a parent of two young adults, I can tell you that the joy and wonder of a newborn’s tiny toes is (forgive me!) completely eclipsed by the joy and wonder of watching your kids turn into fully-fledged grown-ups who have their own intellectual pursuits and passions.

Whether it’s a big jump into a rain puddle or planning a trip that’s inconvenient and over budget, follow your child into adventure. You won’t regret it.

— Katie Beltramo, Director of Communications