Living The Grand Life Now

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Remember the last day of school? The air was buzzing with excitement and anticipation as we all sat in desks, watching the clock, waiting for the bell to ring - and bang! The doors to the classrooms would open, kids running up and down the hallway saying good byes to friends and out the doors of the building. Soon, the hallways would be silent, the clicking of a teacher's heels would be heard for a moment or so, and then with a heavy slam, the doors to the school building would be shut.

It's Summer! Freedom! 2 whole months of doing whatever we wanted to do, which was mostly nothing - hanging out with friends, riding bikes, helping around the house, going to the local "plunge" at a nearby high school to go swimming, and to the Dairy Queen for a cone for a whole $.10 cents.

Gas was cheap, we would walk everywhere in the neighborhood, we felt safe! We could be kids and not have any worries or cares, except for the periodic friendship feud, or getting home late for dinner. These days were fun, really fun! We didn't worry about the ice cream truck or gangs driving by drilling bullets into homes and innocent kids playing on the street. Even the cars, would approach slowly and give us a chance to move our games aside as they passed by.

There was always one house on the street that everyone went to and played in the front yard or backyard - the sounds of laughter and cheer were everywhere. Ah, those summer days, gone by so quickly and the memories that went with them.

Today, as grands, we think about how to entertain our young grands, expensive trips to Disneyland, over night stays lasting into the week, a cruise perhaps, or a trip to Hawaii?
What happened to the simple times of just being together. Talking and listening, taking walks around the block, planting gardens, or going to the library to join the Summer Reading Program? We feel like we have to keep busy and keep doing things because that is what our grands are being brought up to think this is the way it should be. Soccer, dance, swimming, horse back riding lessons, summer camp, swimming camp, etc,etc.

Not only expensive, but what it the purpose of sending them away, instead of inviting them over and creating memories of summer with them? Sharing the days of our youth, and what we did are fascinating history lessons for children who experience nothing like what we did. Instead, it is filled with wars, racial hatred, bigotry, persecution of Christians, child abuse and kidnapping, serial killers, drugs, violence on t.v. and online games and video games. The idea of being able to play outside in one's yard is even scary because of the pedophiles that cruise the streets looking for victims, perhaps even the next door neighbor is suspect. We don't sit on porches drinking lemonade and eating warm cookies fresh from
the oven.

Cooking, sewing, paper dolls, dress up, tea parties, playing catch, swinging on an old tire from the tree, planting a garden, going to the library, an arboretum, a museum, a park, historical places that have meaning. An old mission in California, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, a botanical garden or bird sanctuary. All affordable and in most towns.

Make those Summer memories ones that you and they will cherish forever. Time together is time invested in building a legacy that will last - make this Summer the best ever!