Words by Sam Moore
I always felt a bit different growing up. I was more at home in nature, surrounded by beauty. I struggled to stay focused in the classroom and found my gaze was always looking out of the window. Memories of my childhood are intertwined with the smell of woodsmoke, the dampness of the woods and leaves in autumn, the heat on the sweet grass in summer and the sound of water from the chalk bed rivers of Hampshire. All these things made me feel at once alive, calm and nostalgic. The seasons are everything I love about England and I welcome each one and their gifts. I’m ruled by the moon and the elements, and I love to breathe in a night full of stars, the remnants of a sunset, a heavy moody cloudy sky that bursts heavy rain onto my skin. As I have grown into myself, and weaved elements of this into our brand, it is what I want to share with others – a love of our planet and the people in it over everything else.
I grew up building dens, that was where I felt content. Fast forward to today and my job is similar; it’s funny how sometimes you come full circle. Of course, life takes twists and turns as you find out who you are. It isn’t always obvious, but some of the interests we’re good at as children can develop, not only into that which we we’re good at as an adult, but also into what fulfils us. Life changed hugely when I jumped two feet into life in Cornwall; it has the ability to wrap you in its arms and let you know it’s ok to be you. Those elements from my childhood now underpin my work, but it’s deeper than that. It’s only through my journey in becoming a mother of four, learning about our family’s neurodiversity, that I can appreciate the sensory-rich experiences which have enabled us to cope with the modern world and to learn how much it helps others too.
We recently received the results of our family’s DNA, a mixture of Celtic and Nordic heritage, it was no surprise to us that we are descended from hunter gatherers and shelter builders. I love that this is who we are and it makes complete sense how much it is engrained in my family. We are made to provide and work with the land, using our rich sensory systems, and I think that our education system needs to embrace this more. I feel passionate about helping others to positively embrace their unique talents as I know first-hand how it feels to need a different way to learn; my family is the same. Isn’t it time that we start recognising abilities rather than seeing difficulties? Being neurodiverse doesn’t have to be a barrier, I believe it can be your superpower. Maybe now we just need the setting to help us embrace these talents and enable our children to see beyond the constraints and realise their full potential.
Sam Moore, along with her husband Tim, own Wild Tipi, a family run business rooted in nature, community and forming connections.