Monday, July 12, 2010

On Youth (Or, We only live once...or so I'm told)

First and foremost, I want to say...VIVA ESPAÑA!
Okay, now onto the post of the day.
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"Youth is wasted on the young". That quote usually refers to people in their 20s having the benefits of youth without appreciating its value. I prefer to travel farther back in time to childhood and say, "Only the young can handle youth." The series of photos below should serve as evidence in helping prove my case.

Exhibit #1:


I look at my daughter and her friend and wish I could both physically and spiritually behave the way they do. I'm sure I could muster the emotional strength to let myself go and jump as high as I can, but I'd pay for it later when my heels, ankles, and knees ache in retribution. (No, kids. Mommy can't play tonight. She's high on Naproxen because Advil wasn't strong enough.)



 Exhibit #2:

Many of you have seen this shot before (last post), but I repeat it to focus on the expression of pure joy on my daughter's face. She is free, open to the world, and unhibited - an emotion most adults can't experience without the aid of alcohol or some other substance. If someone caught me doing this and captured it on film, I'd possibly lose my job for being accused of drinking mid-day and playing hooky.
Exhibit #3:

This shot was taken about 4 years ago, but my daughter still feels free to make such facial expressions whenever the mood suits her. When I loosen up enough to do this, my kids tell me I'm "freakin' them out". (What's a girl to do?)










Exhibit #4:


The kids were told a surprise awaited them inside the plastic peanut-filled box. I dare even one of you grownups to dive into a box with this much gusto. Go ahead. I'll wait. Then I'll call the paramedics for you.










Exhibit #5:

I call this shot "Leap of Faith". My son's eyes were closed as he tried to avoid the water spray, but I'm sure you can imagine the thrill of making such a jump. Why can't I run through the sprinklers like this? Again, I'm envisioning neighbors calling Child Protective Services if they caught me in such an act. (She was jumping around like a six year old. The nerve of that woman. Who does she think she is to be enjoying life at her age?)


Exhibit #6:


And finally, who hasn't enjoyed a good cannonball jump into the swimming  pool? My son and his two buddies took on the challenge, so I tried my hand at it afterwards. Except when I did it, I splashed the entire pool deck, burnt my knees and bum in the landing, and ended up coughing up liquid chlorine as my kids shouted, "Geez, Mom. You're embarrassing us!"
Ladies and gentlemen, I rest my case. In protest, I propose we all picket the powers that be and demand a bit of our youth back. So what if we have to load up on painkillers afterward or tolerate disapproving glares of other grownups. If for just a few moments in time we could feel the joy of youth again, I'm sure we'd all be happier and more successful adults. After all, we only live once.

17 comments:

  1. I'd settle for being in my 30s again. At least I healed quicker then.

    Great photos! Makes me want to run out and take a flying leap. ...now where's my cane? :)

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  2. Thank you so much for this reminder. Although I should check my medicine cabinet first.

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  3. Kids make tired just watching them - and happy at the same time :-)
    By the way we call it a "bomb dive" rather than a "cannonball jump".

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  4. I LOVE the box picture. That needs to be blown up poster-size. hee hee.

    The votes are in I am an overgrown kid...I've done just about every one of those things except going into the box. The greatest thing about having kids is their presence grants you permission to act like a total goofball! (Something I excel at, LOL)

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  5. Case proven M' Lady!
    This is a delghtfully amusing piece. The Exhibit #4 photo is wonderful.

    Have a nice day, Boonsong

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  6. Beautiful photographs capturing life at its best. Here's to pure happiness :)

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  7. Wendy, I love the theme of youth today! Another blog I follow (www.theinternalmakeover.com) also, in part, deals with being young and not caring as much about those things we now do as adults.

    Now, Kathryn focuses a bit more on poison ivy, but both of your respective posts made me think of the other today. :)

    By the way, those are some great pics. I'm incredibly envious of the carefree lives lived by children. I wish I had appreciated those days more when I was that age, instead of impatiently wanting to be an adult and "do whatever I want to." (What happened to that??) (Answer: Kids forget to factor in responsibility!)

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  8. Maria~ Let's leap together ;-)

    Vicki~ I wanna party with you, ya goofball.

    J.M.~ I checked out Kathryn's post...good stuff. Thx.

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  9. My primary mission in life right now is to try and relive my childhood. That box photo is the best!

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  10. Oh, I LOVE this post....the addition of the photos is priceless...my favorite is the one of the kids' legs all splayed in that box of peanuts. (BTW: Was there really anything in there? Or, was it done for theatrical purposes?)

    I hate the fact that I worry about FALLING DOWN. I watch kids fall and they bounce right back up. We get bounced away in an ambulance to a future hobbling around on crutches.

    Good memories....

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  11. I'm with Maria Z...I'd like to be in my 30's again...

    That last shot is awesome!!!

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  12. Hear! Hear! Life lived with passion and abandonment is where it's at. And #6 could have been worse for you... there's always the potential for water to go where you don't want it to (as it has before for me water skiing). LOL!

    Thanks for sharing these awesome pictures!

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  13. Kathryn~ There was something in the box, but it had already been unpacked when the kids decided to dive into the peanuts. It was just luck that my camera was nearby.

    Jackee~ Water actually did go where I didn't want it to go, but I thought it sounded like too much information to post ;-)

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  14. Oh, are you politely talking about a pool douche?

    Anyway, I turned the evil... la la la *hand over ears* I can't hear you, la la la...40 in April. Not sure HOW that happened. Dude, I'm 40. *shivers*.

    I've haven't decided yet if I'm going to age gracefully. Kinda sounds boring.

    LOVE this post. Your kids are adorable.

    I hope you jump for joy today. :)
    Love,
    Lola

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  15. Those were great!! Yeah, I like a little of that just so I could run and land on my knees and slide again like my kidlet does. LOL

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  16. sweet knickers, love to pull them down, lick her little bald p---y and come in her ass

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  17. Exhibit #4 is the one I really like in that position of the girl I would put my middle finger in her vagina

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