Bringing Back Childhood Memories

I don't know what made E ask about this the other day but out of the blue she came to me and said, "Mama, can I try Sparks?"

Sparks is not something I did as a child, I'm not actually sure it even existed at the time but I definitely have memories of Brownies, Girl Guides and Pathfinders.

So, next thing you know I'm googling. . "Girl Guides of Canada. Here we go", I say. "Oh wow, they've really changed the uniforms!" E asks me what my uniform looked like. I recall a brown dress, tights, a purse for dues - 25 cents every week, a neck tie, a sash with badges. . .E interrupts my reminiscing, "What's a sash?", I tell her. "How do you get badges? Can you buy them?" I chuckle, "You have to earn them." and I explain how.

Me flying up to Guides

Suddenly I find myself telling stories of camping trips, of getting caught in the rain but despite of it having an awesome time; of hiking through the woods, eating outside, crafts on picnic tables, games of capture the flag; the glow of the camp fire in the black of the night, happy faces singing songs, marshmallows, friends, and earning my wings as I flew up to Guides.

As I finish, I feel a bit like I've made a sales pitch. "So can I?" she says. I think I might have gotten carried away. I bite my lip a bit. "I'll have to talk it over with Daddy."

. . .Meanwhile I'm googling to find out which Unit is closest to our house, and debating to myself how a Celiac child would feel about selling cookies she couldn't eat. . .

This post was inspired by a blog prompt: 5) Talk about a club from your childhood you belonged to.