It rained this morning. Scratch that, it poured — as if the earth cried a blustery sob.
And then blew its nose on all of us.
The rain kept me inside all morning, until finally the sun gave way and I left my perch above my laptop. I had errands to run. The Post Office awaited.
After mailing my parcels I turned right instead of left out of the parking lot (to avoid one crazy intersection). Just that one move, that split decision, sent me in a whole new direction.
As I drove a different road home I spotted something I have not done for years, maybe even decades. A park swing. Memories of swinging rushed back to me. College days and lazy afternoons with my roommate Laura, where we grown women too-old-to-play-on-a-swingset sought them out and sang in the sunshine as our bodies tipped up and down and back up again.
There’s really nothing else that makes you feel like a child.
So today, as I passed the park swing I abruptly turned around and drove back. Why not?
The park was empty. The swingset was all alone. I grabbed the widest, most sturdy looking rubber seat and gave it a go. I even (tried) to take a photo with camera phone in one hand, the other gripping tightly to the chains.
It was fun!
And freeing!
If I thought I was too old for a swingset at eighteen, as a freshman in college, then I don’t know what that makes me at thirty-eight? Call me the Grandma of Swingtown. I don’t care, it was worth it.
As my feet pumped me up and down, through the air and back to the earth again, I felt a little voice inside me scream, Wheeeeee!
And then another belted out: You’re too old for this!
Then again it said: Whhheeeeeeee!
And I retorted: You’re too old for this!
To which I finally landed on: Who cares!!
And, then it occurred to me that I had to LAND somewhere.
When I was young I would just jump out of the swing, waiting for it to reach its peak and then fly out of the saddle without a care. But, now, I’m not so young. But, I’m not so old either, so who says I can’t jump right out of the saddle?
I decided to go for it. No fear.
1 – 2 – 3 – JUMP!
I thankfully landed on my feet. No bruises or scrapes.
Just a big smile on my face.
And, isn’t that how it goes?
Once you decide to jump there is always a safe landing. Somewhere.
Wheeeeee!
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Tags: jump, Laura, park, safe landing, swing, swinging in the rain, swingset, wheeeee!