Upheld In Nostalgia or Fun Things

Climb Rocks

What did you do as a child that you would like to do now?

Another great question from my Scribettes writer group.

The answer is easy: climb rocks.

A bunch of us neighborhood kids roamed the side of a big hill loaded with big rocks. A kid’s dreamland delight. Carefree days of pretend and never a thought of danger.

We climbed the sides of big rocks and back down the other side. We picnicked on top of “flat rock,” so named because one could walk straight out onto the top. The cliff faced the other side. We hid in the clefts of rocks and when buddies tramped by, we jumped out to scare them.

Flora and Fauna

In the spring, we ran our fingertips back and forth across the softness of abundant pussy willows and breathed in the sweetness of mock orange. The mock orange bushes dotted the hillside everywhere. To this day, a whiff of mock orange takes me back to those days.

Often, we found little critters in the rock caves. We gathered to examine them, and then left them to their business. No one ever got sprayed by a skunk, bit by a rodent, or overrun by a very creepy, but very small spider (especially the speckled ones). We gave black widows a wide berth once we turned them over (using a long stick) to see the red hourglass on their bellies.

We scared each other with stories of wolves, bears and bobcats, though no one ever saw them.

Growing Up

When I got older and too wise to play those silly games, I would take my journals and notebooks up the hill and climb my favorite big rock with the perch that was almost like a desk. I could watch the neighborhood. There, I recorded my thoughts, wrote some short stories that no one will ever see (I promise).

Time passed. All of us grew up, the land got developed and now our rocks are somebody’s back yard.

Symmetry

God planted rocks, flowers, critters for us to enjoy. When He made humans, He put them in a garden. He enjoyed what He had done. He said it was good.

If God could have a good time in creating, I think we can call that doing fun things. Maybe we can even go so far as to say God played. Hmmm.

I think, to create symmetry in our lives, imagination must play a part. As children, the tales we invented gave color to life. If imagination can roam free, then just about anything is possible. Life can actually be magical.

I heard someone ask: why do we stop doing fun things when we grow up?

My answer: life gets too serious. Its up to us to take time out to enjoy. Again, if God can do fun things, then its ok for us to do the same.

“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31 NKJV).