Like most people living in a city or suburb we have a park within walking distance. It’s got big grassy fields, a swing set, a playground, and even a half basketball court and a place to play tennis. How did we get so lucky? It’s really a great place to take a short walk towards. A chance to get outside a little bit. Breathe some fresh air. Look at the leaves on the trees. Smell the roses. It’s also a great place to stay for a while. As a former child myself, it’s a place to remember how much energy you used to have and how much fun it was to do things that would now only hurt you and your poor work-riddled body. It’s also a place to watch a young person (like our son) experience life and living in a profound and wonderful way. Finally, it seems, the structures were built with them in mind. They can climb and fly and slide and swing without much outside assistance from adults. A dream world of happiness.
Our son found a big stick that day in the park. Whether some other child had pulled it down or nature had done something to disconnect it from a tree, our son held onto it like a dear old friend. It was far taller than he was and had a large leaf on the end he held high in the air. It flickered in the wind like a flag as he ran through the grassy field happily in the sunlight. When we put him in the stroller for the ride home he held the stick tight. He was still holding it when he fell asleep. It’s in our backyard now. A dear friend for another day. It was a day I’ll never forget and he’ll probably never remember. Such is life.