"Hello Outdoors"

People who know me know I am not an outdoors person. And by that I mean I rarely go outdoors. Now that doesn't mean I am a recluse. I just go from my house to my car to wherever I am going and it is rarely any place outside. That is why seasons don't bother me. I am always warm in the winter and cool in the summer thanks to heaters and air conditioning.

But today I spent some time outdoors. I went to tape a radio show and the people I was supposed to meet had not gotten to the studio when I got there. The door was locked and I was forced to wait outside. That is when I noticed what a gorgeous day it was. I hadn't seen a day that pretty in years. The temperature was warm and there was a breeze. It was a perfect day.

Sitting outside I began to think back to my childhood. When I was a child I spent most of my time outside, especially during the summer. I would leave the house early and stay outside all day long. We had a forest behind my house and all of us kids would play down there from dawn till duck. We built a fort, a treehouse, and every other adventuresome thing we could contemplate.

We were all tanned brown as berries and never ever wore shoes. Most of the boys just wore khaki shorts and that was it. We were all great friends in my neighborhood and we would moan and groan whenever a rainy day would force us inside. But you know in my memory there were rarely any rainy days in my summers. And when it would rain it wouldn't last long and then we would go out and play with our boats in the gulleys that ran in front of our houses.

There was a big field up from my house that had tall grass in it and we would play soldier there. We would sneak through the grass and shoot or capture each other. At other times we would mash the grass flat and use it as a means to spy on cars coming down our street. We would religiously write down tag numbers and if a car came down our street too many times we were sure it was someone spying on our neighborhood.

Our imaginations were boundless in those days and adventure seemed to be around every corner. There was always someone to play with and always some game to play. It was a happy neighborhood and a close one.

I don't know when I decided I didn't like the outdoors. It was probably high school. That is when I became a little more complex and things weren't as bright and sunny. I was unhappy with my father's new wife and I spent a lot of time in my room, hiding away from them.

Today when I spent my moments in the sun I made a pledge to see the sun more often. I think I can take the heat in small measures. Plus I live in a beautiful area of the country and it is a shame not to enjoy it.

Of course as I sit here writing this I feel a sneeze coming on. And another one. I do have some allergies, and now my eyes are running. Maybe spending time in the outdoors wasn't so smart. Maybe I will just look out the windows every now and then and be satisfied with my indoor life.
 

 

 

 

 

©2007 Jackie K. Cooper

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