Sabbatical Prep Part 2

On  A Walk in the Woods

I have been prepping things for my interview/information sessions for this Giftedness Center evaluation. As I have, I experience moments of absolute b l a n k n e s s.  I can't even form a thought. I think most of this can be attributed to the type of information gathering I am doing for this exercise.
Do you ever have those moments when in the middle of writing anything or putting down information you go off into nothing-ville? 
Its amazing how much mental energy it takes to recall the "best of" achievement memories from childhood through young adult years. But it has been fun re-living those "rah-rah" moments. You know the ones where you achieved something you thought was amazing all on your own?
 One of my most profound achievements for this eight year old nervous adventurer was taking off into the woods by our house on a fabulous Fall day (yes it had to be Fall and after a hard freeze, because I was too chicken of the snakes, ticks, and other critters I might run into or pick up on my own.) 

Well, I got up my nerve, grabbed my coat, and my baton (yes I didn't have a walking stick and I knew I had to have something in my hand to help me defend myself, just in case. Sad I know but it was a weapon that day). And I took off through the woods to the creek that was a half-way point to what I thought was the other end of the world. Imagine towering pines, oaks, and maples all around you while trudging across leaf and pine needle covered paths. And of course that wonderful smell in the air that only comes in the Fall.  There was also a fabulous cornflower blue sky but you couldn't see it because the woods covered it up.  Got the picture? It was a fun adventure...just me and God. He and I had a great visit;  I sang to Him and talked with Him as I trudged through this imagined  "wilderness".  And of course our trusty neighborhood  German Shepherd , Angel,  showed up to keep me company and protect me as well.
When I got to the creek I played with the moored pine bark boats my brother and his buddy Eddie and myself had made. And then I got a little anxious about being stuck in there when it got dark so I made my way back home. All in all it was a fabulous day and I admit I was very proud of my achievement. Of course when I got home and excitedly related my adventure to my Mom there wasn't much immediate celebration. There was a serious discussion about going off by myself without telling anyone. Yes I had gotten myeself all worked up to accomplish this task and forgot to tell anyone where I was going.  But after our discussion Mom did celebrate my "brave" adventure with me.

So what memories do you have of your childhood achievements?