Saturday, March 10, 2012

Things we used to do that we don't do anymore

I've been thinking about fun things I used to do as a kid, that kids today can't or don't do.  So here goes:

  Playing outside; Red Rover, Mother May I, Kick the Can, Ball(soft, kick, stick, etc) laying in the grass at night and looking at the stars, catching Lightnin' Bugs (some called them Fireflies), wading in creeks, playing fort in the woods, making bug or leaf logs (you know, you got a bug, put it in a jar and when it died you put it on a board with a pin stuck in it to keep it there - and then you labeled it with its "scientific name" and common name. Leaves, you put between two sheets of waxed paper - again, labeled with the correct name.

The reason kids don't do this anymore (as given to me by the kids):  1) its too hot out 2) we have TV now!!! 3)its toooo hot out  4) why?????  I can do all this on my IPad (vicariously of course, especially the wading!) 5) thats not FUN!!!!  6) I don't want to get sweaty an' all!  7) I take gym in school - that's enough for me! 8) I just don't want to!!!! 9) Don't you know - somebody could STEAL me!!! and my all time favorite is ..... (drum role)....10) that's just old people stuff!


SAD, SAD. SAAADDD :(


Its also sad that it IS true that someone could steal you - and that it IS hot out (although I, like many others my age, played outside because it was cooler than inside - inside was what you did when the sun went down); or if you were really lucky and it was summer, you had a "sleeping porch" - screened in so you felt safe, and usually on the second floor - with an old crickety bed or swing or hammock - and you had your jammies on and your best friend and your hair was all wet from your bath and it was quiet and you could just talk - or not talk.  I never got bit by a snake from wading in the creek, I never got stolen and I never got bit by any number of "loose" dogs that were around - and I learned the stars and the planets and the names of clouds and weather patterns - all from looking up (and not looking up on the internet but actually looking up! 


I hope when I get to heaven I can be a kid again and do all this stuff!!!!