How long has it been?

How long has it been since...

...you've squished mud between your toes because it feels funny?

...you've swung as high as your legs could pump you, turn your arms around so your elbows are faced outward and jumped as high as you could fly?

...you've danced in a store when you hear a funky beat?

...you've blown off all your meetings to play kickball in the street with the neighborhood?

...you've laid on your back in the grass (WITHOUT a blanket) with your legs crossed chewing on a blade of grass and daydreamed in the sun?

...you've set your alarm for 7am on Saturday morning to catch the full run of cartoons?

...you've had 2 inches of sugar left over in your cereal bowl?

...you've played in the rain on a warm sunny day being sure not to miss a single puddle?

...you've hung upside-down on the jungle gym?

...you've played the most righteous of air guitar solos?

As a kid, you mostly daydream of becoming an "adult," not being RULED by anyone and being in control of your own life...eating all the poptarts in the house if you want to! Not realizing how FUN life was when we were doing all those things listed up there.

As adults, we lose the ability to have "fun" like that because we become aware of consequences and PAIN. If I would jump out of a swing 4 feet high, I would surely bust open an ovary. Back then, I'd feel the sting in my knees, brush it off and try to get higher next time.

As adults, we worry about what the neighbors will think if they see us playing the air guitar and what the store patrons will do if we break out in a boogy in walmart when they play our favorite song. If it rains, we don't go out in it! What a hassle it would be to deal with wet clothes and I have better things to do with my time. Bills have to be paid, dinner has to be cooked and baths need to be taken. We lose so much of the ingredients to having FUN as adults.

I intend to play in the rain more often.