AJ and a LATTE

With the temperature averaging over 98 degrees, it is easy to get into the “wash, rinse, repeat” phase of life.  Everything is just so uncomfortable.  We just go through the motions.  I had gone to the Wayland police department to get my parking pass, just another of the duties that must be done for school to start.  The building was locked so I headed back to my car.  On the way to my car, I saw a young man riding his bike across campus.  He was probably 18 or 19 and seemed to have the weight of the world written all across his face.  The worry lines were visible from my distance.  He saw the sprinklers come on in front of the police station at the same time I did.  Realization flashed in his eyes.  He slowly rode to the end of the block, made a cautious U-turn, and got onto the sidewalk.  I rushed to my car so my presence wouldn’t interfere with the inevitable.   As I closed the door, I saw the young man speeding down the sidewalk.  When he reached the sprinklers, he let his legs dangle from the bike as the cool water pelted him.  He “whooped” a sound of joy as he came to a stop at the end of the walkway.  He sat there a second and turned to make the run again.  For ten minutes I watched this grown young man ride carefree as the water washed away his worries.  I now saw a sweet little eight-year old in a man’s body riding without a care in the world. 

Oh, to have that abandon!  How many simple pleasures do we deny ourselves because we are too old or too dignified?  When is the last time you allowed your inner child run amok in the chaos of the everyday on a simple random Tuesday?  What was your last truly childhood moment?  If we all had the opportunity to remember how it feels to just let go and experience exuberance, perhaps we wouldn’t be plagued by so many daily woes! Perhaps we  would remember how it feels to really relax.

That same afternoon I was pulling out of a parking spot and saw an old black grackle running across the lot.  He too espied a bit of mundane water.  I stopped and watched as he hopped over the curb, across the short bit of ground cover, and immersed himself in the small puddle.  Water was flung haphazardly EVERYWHERE!  He exhibited sheer pleasure as he flapped and preened in the water.  Twice in one day I was reminded to revel in the mundane.  A simple puddle, a benign set of sprinklers…the irrelevant.  Both were turned into a playground for the soul.

It was cathartic to the soul to see such unabashed joy. I can only imagine how I would feel if given the opportunity safe of judgment to participate in child’s play.  That is my challenge for the new week—a moment of simple childhood pleasure. 

Until next time…