I was expecting the rock to be Cesium-137 or something 

Shit, I am a grown man and am still excited for OP, that's awesome!

I'm kind of an outdoors nerd though.

I have two optimism-filled counterpoints to this.

1. Happy childhood memories are often much nicer than actually existing as a child. Much more concentrated. You already have the good stuff.

2. The only person stopping you from walking through the woods and finding cool rocks is you!

(insert caveats here about how adult life sucks for so many people right now and they don't have free time to wander in the woods. I know. It sucks. I can only encourage you to consider it a metaphor and find something realistic and rewarding that fits your life)

I can’t believe the rest of you left that behind

I’m impressed the guide demonstrated the flint’s sparking abilities and let the kid keep the rock. I know way too many adults who’d be like, “Oh no, danger!” and make a kid leave such a rock alone.

Why can’t I go back Anons?

🍄‍🟫

So Anon is 16 years old? They'll be just fine.

The sparks are actually coming from the steel and not the stone. Flint is just a very hard and sharp stone that can make tiny bits of steel fly off, heated from the sheer friction.

A different stone that is hard and sharp enough would have the same effect, like pyrite also known as fool's gold. A different metal with, i believe, not enough carbon in it would not work. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.