The sky is a brilliant blue. The sun is shining. I hear birds chirping merrily. Snow drops and green grasses are peeking out from melting piles of snow. Spring is here!
After a winter of snowshoveling and living in a Fortress of Solitude, the past two weeks have been heavenly. Fifty and sixty degree temperatures have a way of bringing out neighbors and friends and brightening everybody's day.
It's time to play outside!
The playground slides, swings, and seesaws are not full of snow, so my son and I walk to the playground. Other kids are already there climbing on the tire swing, crawling through the tunnel, and running toward the slides. They must have heard the call of the playground too.
My son (the youngest one at the playground) watches the activity and wanders around the equipment to observe the older kids. Occasionally, he joins in, but he seems more interested in exploring the basketball court and playing peekaboo with me in the trees. But from time to time, I get a chance to observe the other kids.
A pair of little boys are climbing as high as they can on the equipment. They have binoculars and are speaking in "us versus them" terms. "Three girls coming right this way. Don't talk to them," instructs one of the boys in serious tones. They are pretending (or halfpretending) to be like men on a covert military mission as they jump off the steps and duck behind the slide.
The three girls move from the seesaw to the tireswing. The older two are helping the younger girl to twirl. Happy laughter bubbles.
A mother is teaching her daughters to swing. Her youngest girl is cuddled on her lap and the older one is perched on her own swing. "Move your legs forward and back. Forward and back," she instructs her daughters, her own legs pumping.
The three girls now shift from the tireswing to the regular swings until they are situated next to the mother and her daughters. They join in on the swinging lesson. "Forward and back," they chant.
Eventually, they are all swinging in tandem (the mother, the daughters, and the three girls). Their legs pump forward perfectly in sync. Together they experience a wonderful few moments of harmony and joyful swinging. Smiles and quiet pride are on their faces at their synchronized swinging and united momentum.
As I resume playing peekaboo with my son, I have a different smile on my face too. Looking over at those girls, I could feel their joy of the moment, their glee. I am glad that I had the opportunity to witness their harmony and teamwork.
In the sunshine of today at the children's playground, I am reminded of simple pleasures and the joy of synchronized energy.
After a winter of snowshoveling and living in a Fortress of Solitude, the past two weeks have been heavenly. Fifty and sixty degree temperatures have a way of bringing out neighbors and friends and brightening everybody's day.
It's time to play outside!
The playground slides, swings, and seesaws are not full of snow, so my son and I walk to the playground. Other kids are already there climbing on the tire swing, crawling through the tunnel, and running toward the slides. They must have heard the call of the playground too.
My son (the youngest one at the playground) watches the activity and wanders around the equipment to observe the older kids. Occasionally, he joins in, but he seems more interested in exploring the basketball court and playing peekaboo with me in the trees. But from time to time, I get a chance to observe the other kids.
A pair of little boys are climbing as high as they can on the equipment. They have binoculars and are speaking in "us versus them" terms. "Three girls coming right this way. Don't talk to them," instructs one of the boys in serious tones. They are pretending (or halfpretending) to be like men on a covert military mission as they jump off the steps and duck behind the slide.
The three girls move from the seesaw to the tireswing. The older two are helping the younger girl to twirl. Happy laughter bubbles.
A mother is teaching her daughters to swing. Her youngest girl is cuddled on her lap and the older one is perched on her own swing. "Move your legs forward and back. Forward and back," she instructs her daughters, her own legs pumping.
The three girls now shift from the tireswing to the regular swings until they are situated next to the mother and her daughters. They join in on the swinging lesson. "Forward and back," they chant.
Eventually, they are all swinging in tandem (the mother, the daughters, and the three girls). Their legs pump forward perfectly in sync. Together they experience a wonderful few moments of harmony and joyful swinging. Smiles and quiet pride are on their faces at their synchronized swinging and united momentum.
As I resume playing peekaboo with my son, I have a different smile on my face too. Looking over at those girls, I could feel their joy of the moment, their glee. I am glad that I had the opportunity to witness their harmony and teamwork.
In the sunshine of today at the children's playground, I am reminded of simple pleasures and the joy of synchronized energy.
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