Sawyer's scare

Yesterday we had our annual Ward picnic at Bear Creek Park. It’s a beautiful park with a nice pavilion, playground, large field for games, and several nature trails for geocaching, walking, etc. We did have a scary incident while there. Sawyer, Spencer and several other children started on a nature walk and apparently Sawyer ran ahead and ended up getting separated from the group and lost for over 45 min. Spencer came back to where we were right away and was visually upset and told us Sawyer was lost. Brad and I were both focusing on something else and didn’t take Spencer seriously. We figured Sawyer was with one of two groups out geocaching or treasure hunting. Brad was in charge of field games, I was keeping track of Lucy, and we were both searching for a lost bean bag. Nearly half an hour later, Brad sensed Spencer was still upset and asked him for more details. I called the leader in charge of geocaching and he said Sawyer was not with them and never had been. So, we started to think he was lost. Brad, Charlie, and Spencer went looking for him.

Now, here’s the story from Sawyer’s perspective. He indeed ran ahead from the group and shortly realized he was lost. Not knowing which path to take back, he accidentally started walking in the opposite direction from where we were, which lead him to the township hall, fire station, and business area. He said he was scared and tried to get into the fire station, but it was locked. He tried another building and it was locked too. So, he went up to the only person he saw, which gratefully was a woman, and told her he was lost. She was just a random person dropping off her recycling in the same parking lot where he was. Sawyer said he was crying a little and she offered to help him. The exact details are scanty, because Sawyer was embarrassed to talk about it. But, the lady ended up walking Sawyer nearly half a mile back to where we were. Brad and Spencer met them on the path. Sawyer asked Brad not to mention it to anyone else back at the park. I’m just relieved we had a happy ending. Sawyer said he knew he had walked in the wrong direction, once he got to the strange parking lot, but he was too scared to walk through the forest alone again. He said it was too dark and quiet.

Sawyer realizing he's lost and feeling scared

Sawyer practicing what he'll do if someone scary appears