• About
  • News
  • Acting
  • Art
  • Blog
  • Published Articles
  • Contact
Menu

David DeWitt

  • About
  • News
  • Acting
  • Art
  • Blog
  • Published Articles
  • Contact

musings from a hyphenate

Artist - Singer- Writer - Actor - Illustrator - Director - Teacher - Dad 


Finn and Erin

Transition

November 5, 2015

On a hike with friends this past week a strange being inhabited my child, replacing the slightly awkward son of a few short months ago.

We live close to a trail that leads to a beautiful water fall. 

The fifteen minute trek requires scrambling over some rocks and boulders. It was impossible for us to do the full hike when we first moved here. We couldn’t get past the main entrance. 

Sticks and colorful bits of broken glass held more fascination for Finn.

Subsequent hikes have taken us to the bottom of the falls but not without plenty of detours and a long piggy back ride home. If we want real exercise we usually go separately.

Erin had colleagues over so she wanted us all to hike to the top of the falls before dinner. 

I thought that was ambitious for Finn, but Erin had recently done it herself so I trusted her motherly instinct.

We had both noticed Finn’s recent growth spurt, preceded by increased food intake and several added hours of sleep. And just that morning at breakfast he looked so tall in his chair I had to check to make sure he wasn’t sitting on a book. I wished I had taken his picture before bedtime just to compare.

I almost expect to wake up some morning and find a teenager sitting there. I’ve been told that actually happens.

When we reached the trail head he whizzed right through and was running well ahead of us all. That was a first for him. I thought he was just showing off in front of company. But then when we were crossing the stream he fought for me to release his hand and away he went balancing himself. Then he scuttled up the the mountain almost as easily as the rest of us.

Time lapse videos of kids have almost become cliche these days but I’m especially fond of the short film by Frans Hofmeester who captured his 12 year old daughter in front of the same backdrop for a few seconds every week from infancy. And then of course there’s the film Boyhood, which had Erin sobbing during the opening credits.

I had the thought of wanting to capture and stretch this moment out. “Slow down” I echoed several times throughout the hike as he hopped from one rock to another with skill I hadn’t seen before. But even film can’t quite capture these transitions that seem now more abrupt than the changing seasons.

On the way back down the mountain there was a slip and a scrape, a brief cry that required a hug of comfort before he said “I’m ok” and then he was on his way again. There was indeed a piggy back ride but much shorter this time.

Walking home through the woods Erin lifted her hands in the air, feeling the gentle shower of yellow and orange leaves falling from the trees. “It’s so beautiful,” she said “But just a little sad too.”

← HeirloomsSuperhero Sessions →

Subscribe

Get this blog delivered to your email. Twice a month.

We respect your privacy.

Thank you!

Archive

  • March 2023
    • Mar 4, 2023 H.I. (Human Intelligence) Mar 4, 2023
  • August 2020
    • Aug 14, 2020 He Speaks for the Trees Aug 14, 2020
  • July 2020
    • Jul 14, 2020 Learning to Fly Jul 14, 2020
  • June 2020
    • Jun 15, 2020 Food Security Jun 15, 2020
  • May 2020
    • May 18, 2020 Contem’play’tion May 18, 2020
  • April 2020
    • Apr 15, 2020 Quarantine Apr 15, 2020
  • March 2020
    • Mar 18, 2020 Mommy Debrief Mar 18, 2020
  • February 2020
    • Feb 18, 2020 Hikes and Dragons Feb 18, 2020
  • January 2020
    • Jan 18, 2020 Ich Liebe Dich Jan 18, 2020
  • December 2019
    • Dec 18, 2019 The Spark of Creation Dec 18, 2019
  • November 2019
    • Nov 18, 2019 Turning Eight Nov 18, 2019
  • October 2019
    • Oct 18, 2019 Spider Man Bike Oct 18, 2019
  • September 2019
    • Sep 18, 2019 Going Screenless Sep 18, 2019
  • August 2019
    • Aug 15, 2019 Late Night Contemplations Aug 15, 2019
  • July 2019
    • Jul 15, 2019 The Dreaded Tick Jul 15, 2019
  • June 2019
    • Jun 10, 2019 Year of Discoveries Jun 10, 2019
  • May 2019
    • May 10, 2019 Little Monsters of Spring May 10, 2019
  • April 2019
    • Apr 17, 2019 Right on Track Apr 17, 2019
  • March 2019
    • Mar 13, 2019 Ancestry Mar 13, 2019
  • February 2019
    • Feb 11, 2019 Bread Feb 11, 2019
  • January 2019
    • Jan 11, 2019 Father, Teacher, Farmer, Jokester Jan 11, 2019
  • December 2018
    • Dec 5, 2018 Field Trip Dec 5, 2018
  • November 2018
    • Nov 19, 2018 Deer Hearts Nov 19, 2018
  • October 2018
    • Oct 14, 2018 Here we go Oct 14, 2018
  • September 2018
    • Sep 17, 2018 Taking the Helm Sep 17, 2018
  • August 2018
    • Aug 15, 2018 Making Magic Aug 15, 2018
  • July 2018
    • Jul 26, 2018 Art Hike Jul 26, 2018
  • May 2018
    • May 31, 2018 Mud Pie May 31, 2018
  • April 2018
    • Apr 15, 2018 Carousel Ride Apr 15, 2018
  • March 2018
    • Mar 16, 2018 Crag Day Mar 16, 2018
  • January 2018
    • Jan 1, 2018 The Future is Now Jan 1, 2018
  • December 2017
    • Dec 19, 2017 Making Christmas Dec 19, 2017
  • November 2017
    • Nov 13, 2017 Puttin' on the Ritz Nov 13, 2017
  • October 2017
    • Oct 13, 2017 Dance Party Oct 13, 2017
  • September 2017
    • Sep 24, 2017 Detours Sep 24, 2017
  • August 2017
    • Aug 20, 2017 Off Duty Aug 20, 2017
  • June 2017
    • Jun 13, 2017 Reaching Jun 13, 2017
  • May 2017
    • May 17, 2017 Building May 17, 2017
  • April 2017
    • Apr 20, 2017 Trainee Apr 20, 2017
  • March 2017
    • Mar 12, 2017 Early Thaw Mar 12, 2017
  • February 2017
    • Feb 23, 2017 Reunion Feb 23, 2017
  • January 2017
    • Jan 10, 2017 A Snowball's Chance Jan 10, 2017
  • December 2016
    • Dec 10, 2016 Election Dec 10, 2016
  • November 2016
    • Nov 3, 2016 Playtime Nov 3, 2016
  • October 2016
    • Oct 11, 2016 Beginning Again Oct 11, 2016
  • September 2016
    • Sep 1, 2016 Mosquitoes and Meteors Sep 1, 2016
  • August 2016
    • Aug 17, 2016 Separation Aug 17, 2016
  • July 2016
    • Jul 21, 2016 Reality Jul 21, 2016
  • June 2016
    • Jun 6, 2016 Sweet Jun 6, 2016
  • May 2016
    • May 16, 2016 Trust May 16, 2016
  • April 2016
    • Apr 4, 2016 Balloons Apr 4, 2016
  • March 2016
    • Mar 2, 2016 Worry Mar 2, 2016
  • February 2016
    • Feb 3, 2016 Winning Feb 3, 2016
  • January 2016
    • Jan 1, 2016 Now! Jan 1, 2016
  • December 2015
    • Dec 2, 2015 Heirlooms Dec 2, 2015
  • November 2015
    • Nov 5, 2015 Transition Nov 5, 2015
  • October 2015
    • Oct 3, 2015 Superhero Sessions Oct 3, 2015
  • September 2015
    • Sep 1, 2015 The Extra Twenty Sep 1, 2015
  • August 2015
    • Aug 18, 2015 Immortalized Aug 18, 2015
    • Aug 4, 2015 Witness Aug 4, 2015
  • July 2015
    • Jul 21, 2015 Unnecessary Jul 21, 2015
    • Jul 7, 2015 Details. Jul 7, 2015
  • April 2015
    • Apr 22, 2015 Let's Go Fly A Kite. Apr 22, 2015
  • March 2015
    • Mar 25, 2015 Does that include inspiration? Mar 25, 2015
  • September 2014
    • Sep 24, 2014 One Dad's Life. Sep 24, 2014
  • August 2014
    • Aug 19, 2014 Guessing til I get there. Aug 19, 2014
    • Aug 12, 2014 Hyphenate. Aug 12, 2014
  • July 2014
    • Jul 29, 2014 The Like Trap. Jul 29, 2014
    • Jul 22, 2014 The Hawk. Jul 22, 2014
    • Jul 15, 2014 Chocolate, Candles and Bottled Water. Jul 15, 2014
    • Jul 9, 2014 Who would want to read that? Jul 9, 2014
    • Jul 1, 2014 No. Jul 1, 2014
  • June 2014
    • Jun 24, 2014 A man and his tools. Jun 24, 2014
    • Jun 17, 2014 Dances with Wolves. Jun 17, 2014
    • Jun 10, 2014 A cool 5 million. Jun 10, 2014
  • May 2014
    • May 13, 2014 1/2 inch too long. May 13, 2014
    • May 6, 2014 Moved and Inspired. May 6, 2014
  • April 2014
    • Apr 22, 2014 Trust. Apr 22, 2014
    • Apr 15, 2014 Life in a one bedroom. Apr 15, 2014
    • Apr 8, 2014 Wait, where am I? Apr 8, 2014
    • Apr 1, 2014 Ride the wave. Apr 1, 2014
  • March 2014
    • Mar 25, 2014 People, possibilities and passion. Mar 25, 2014