JOYFUL PIECE #45

Mud pies and other childhood wisdom…

Mud Pies, by Ludwig Knaus  (1829–1910), image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Walters Art Museum. This applies worldwide.

“…and dust to dust…” Thus, it is written in scripture.i

Scientists explain that everything began at the big bang when matter emerged from energy and that later, life emerged from the rocks of planet Earth.

Yet, it is children who first grasped our kinship with dirt. They have been playing in dirt since before recorded history, even as mothers fretted about that unseemly behavior.

Now science is returning to the wisdom of children, as more and more emphasis is being placed on the importance of a healthy alliance between humans and microorganisms, specifically, how to build a healthy biota within our gut and other systems. There are many healthy physical and psychological benefits for children AND adults in exposure to those microorganisms found in, well, dirt. It appears that we need not be too careful but experiment with unstructured dirt play, nature walks, and archeology. And for the sports minded, try a mud run— I did one years ago in Louisiana, and it was great fun! Dirt is good, it seems. After all, it is where we came from!

This wonderful article  is bound to open the minds of those who are willing to get their hands dirty, literally. It is chock-full of ideas on how to get intimate with dirt— where we came from.

So, we are coming full circle to the joyful days of playing in dirt and mud. We intuited, as children, the healthy benefits of mud and dirt. 

And we have yet to this discuss the delicious Mississippi Mud Pie!

Who knows! Perhaps the only harmful “dirt” is in the yellow press and politics…

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