Do you remember when you were younger and the thrill you got from knowing it was going to be a warm, sunny day and that meant you could play outside? Do you remember trying to swing as high as you could on the swing set and then jumping out as far as you could possibly go?
It's times like those that are forgotten so easily these days. As children we were always outside with only potty and snack breaks, as long as Mom and Dad said it was OK. Being outside was what we found the most joy in. Children these days seem to not see the joy and importance we once got in going outside for the day.
All the time I see little kids sitting in a chair somewhere, playing on their phone, iPod, iPad, etc. and not enjoying the outside. They would much rather build something online than build a sand castle, and to me, that it sad. Grab some chalk and sidewalk and go draw a pretty picture to show Mom and Dad. If it's raining, no problem, put a swim suit on and play in the rain, unless it's lightning and/or storming.
My favorite memories from my childhood are from playing outside with my friends and family. It's the little things like spitting watermelon seeds out on the deck because we dripped the juice everywhere in the house. It's the painful things like sitting on Mom's lap while Grandma removes the splinter from our foot because we didn't put our flip flops on.
The memories I have from being outside are so important in my life because it reminds me that I can live without the technology I have now. I was not dependent on my cell phone, because I didn't have one; iPads and iPods weren't even a common item to have. The most technological item we were allowed to use was the computer to play spider solitaire because the weather wasn't good, otherwise we were outside in swimsuits, running around the farm house.
Playing freeze tag or statue maker, swimming in the pool, playing in the sand box, or even hitching a ride on the lawn mower was always something all the cousins got excited about. There are the little memories you gain from spending time outside; burying frogs alive (guilty), trying not to bother the "ear pinchers" in the sand box, making sure Grandma didn't see us take a vegetable from her garden, and so many more memories that I will forever cherish.
The beauty of outside is lost nowadays and it's pitiful. The sun is out and shinning bright. The birds are singing and there is not a cloud in the sky. Enjoy the weather. Make new friends at the play ground. Make memories that you will forever carry with you.
