the last time?

so when was the last time you went to the playground? you know, swings & monkey bars & sliding boards & see-saws. bet it's been a while, huh?

how 'bout the last time you bought a balloon...for your SELF? or rode the roller coaster? or went to the zoo? a museum? an aquarium? how 'bout the last time you got yourself an ice cream cone with sprinkles on top?

i'm guessing, that unless you have small children, it's been eons. why? cuz we think of those things as 'for kids only'? well, lemme tell ya, there's nothing that will lift your spirits like pretending you're the kid....and doing some of these things. it's so much fun...and we just never think about doin' that kinda stuff, huh? bummer.

i was talking to a dear friend of mine last night, when she began to tell me about how much she misses her mom and how she had this really strong remembering about the day her mom went to the circus, not long before she passed. my friend still has the voice message on her phone from her mom after she went to the circus. i'm guessing she'll keep that one for a long, long time. it makes her smile. and it keeps her close. ya know?

so anyway, she was talking to me about all this and i suggested she go get herself a balloon. the kind filled with helium. told her she could tie it to her wrist and let it 'follow' her around all day. ya know what? she went to the store this morning, and when she walked in the door, there it was! a giant helium balloon with a butterfly (she loves butterflies!) and all sorts of pretty colors. she was so excited, she bought it on the spot, tied it around her wrist and has been wearing it ever since. when she told me this, i was hootin' like a crazy person! i could see her, clear as a bell, with that balloon and a big ol' goofy grin on her beautiful face...like a kid on the playground.

so it got me to thinking about how we forget about stuff like that. we just don't even think about it. and it's such a simple thing. so easy to do. yet, we just don't. i'm telling you this...so maybe you will. maybe you'll get up right now and go git yourself a balloon or take a ride to the playground and swing on a swing. or take yourself to the nearest merry-go-round and have a ride.

whaddya think?