The Trick To Keeping A Piece Of Childhood

It's warm yet comfortable. Early in the summer evening. I'm watching over salmon and marinated cauliflower on the grill while Jessica calls to me to watch her on the swing. She's about to perform an astounding stunt and I watch with bated breath as she begins to swing...starting from a dead stop. To her that is something to be noted and remarked upon by mom. So I call to her saying it was a great trick...what a super job she did.

Jakey is on his brother's hand-me-down bicycle riding round and round in circles teetering left to right on training wheels. I ask him to do a stunt. He sticks out his tongue. To have to take your mind off of pedaling the bicycle and command your brain to stick the tongue out is a serious deal to a four year old still trying to develop his sense of agility. I clap and tell him that was so dangerous. He smiles proudly.

Brendon is practicing his bat swing. Batting gloves, aluminum bat, flip flops shoving socks between his toes, he's ready to rock and roll. He asks mom to pitch to him. I plate the fish and vegetable and get myself situated on the lawn. I wind up for the pitch, and throw. He swings and misses. Soon though, he hits a line drive, nearly knocking my block off. My mom mode disappears, and in it's place, my tomboyish ways arrive. They haven't been around since the early 80's and need a bit of time to get oriented. Soon those tomboy instincts take over as I wade through the brush and bramble in the woods bordering our yard and search for the lost baseball. I find a volleyball and finally the baseball and make my way out with both.

Jess and Jake want to join in, so we take turns throwing, catching, pitching, hitting while dinner gets cold on the kitchen counter.

Instead of being a mom and calling them in to dinner, I'm out there in the thick of it and there is no place I'd rather be. But, Jess, and Jake fight over who gets to bat and they give chase into the house. No need to call them in now.

Brendon and I make our way inside. We all sit down and eat our meal. And I'm happy I managed to keep a little piece of my childhood that I could take out and use on a relaxing summer evening.