{ image source }
Gentle Reader,
‘Tis the time. The five minute time. The (kind of) Friday time. It’s Kate. It’s the crew.
It’s a: dare.
Go.
I have many sweet memories involving my teen-aged girlfriends. We’d all pile into someone’s room, or a tent in the backyard, and giggle over girlish things until the wee hours of the morning. Or until a parent yelled at us. We’d eat ourselves into a sugar- and pizza-coma.
It was beautiful.
One hot, sticky, early-autumn evening, we were squashed in that tent, sharing secrets and gushing over a certain older boy we all had a crush on. And, of course, we played “Truth or Dare.” It escalated. It always escalated. The gal whose house we were staying at had one of those wonderful creatures known as a cute boy next door. So, naturally, we tried to get his attention all evening.
And then someone dared me to run around the tent. In my pajamas.
I did it.
It was awesome.
We squealed with laughter and wondered if he’d seen me.
I wonder what happened to that girl. When did she get so bogged down with worries? What happened to the girl who would run barefoot through sprinkler-soaked grass while her friends smothered their faces in pillows to keep from screaming? Her stride was confident, her smile easy and free.
I want to find her again.
Stop.
I really do what to find her again. I want to find the part of myself that was able to let go of cares. Maybe that’s why I’ve been watching and listening to so much comedy lately. It’s a heavy world these days and I just want to get a little lighter. Feel a little brighter.
I’m thinking that maybe you, dear one, want that, too.
So, a challenge. Have some fun tomorrow! Do something, eat something, watch something, listen to something, sing something, read something that brings a smile to your face. Just because. Don’t think about calories or schedules or the “should’s.” Find a little slice of blessing in this here place and devour it. Soak it up with gusto.
And know that the Lord sent it to you.
LOVE your dare! Tomorrow’s date night around these places, so I may just have to take you up on that challenge and do something out of the ordinary and fun! Any ideas? 🙂
LikeLike
Bowling is always a guaranteed laugh fest with my hubby and I. If you need something free, try a hands-free cookie-in-milk dunking contest. It’s entertaining!
LikeLike
Love it! Being a little goofy and letting the kid in us out for awhile? So much fun! And so, so, so good for us! 🙂
LikeLike
Amen!
LikeLike
We need a good rainstorm so I can go puddle jumping :). It that doesn’t happen (it’s not likely since I live in the desert), I’ll find a hill to run down–with my arms outstretched and yelling at the top of my voice. Just because .
LikeLike
I love it!
LikeLike
I could see you there, running around that tent in your pjs, laughing and breathless. A priceless memory — thank you for sharing, for bringing a smile to my face after a long, wearying day. God bless!
LikeLike
Blessings to you, too, Patti! I hope that you get some good rest this evening and that you find more things to smile about tomorrow.
LikeLike
I remember that girl too, or my version of her. The world does get rather heavy as you get older and add responsibilities, and they can squash any sign that that girl ever existed to begin with if you’re not careful. Thank you for the challenge to have fun. My MOPS group is having a moms’ night in tomorrow night and we are watching Moms’ Night Out!
LikeLike
That is a great movie, Mollie! You’ll enjoy it. 🙂
And you’re right – we have to guard that girl. We have to cherish her and let her out every once in awhile.
LikeLike
Oh how I adore this… and we are on the same track here, as I just made ‘lunch’ plans with a friend to go out for some FroYo… if we put fruit on it – it counts, right? (“Grape! or Cherry! They’re both favorites! They’re both good!”)
LikeLike
Bwahahahaha! Yogurt is dairy, so putting fruit on it totally makes it a balanced meal. 🙂
LikeLike
So I loved the post, but I am laughing at all the crazy fun ideas floating in these comments! I have a few “grown up” things to do tomorrow- but I see a movie night snuggled in bed with all my peeps in our near future. We may even get all wild and eat pop corn with M&M’s in bed! And then Saturday- I think we need to go the pumpkin patch… not the cutsie one… no the one with the pumpkin cannon and piggie races!! Happy Friday to you!!
LikeLike
That sounds wonderful! I hope you do all of it!
LikeLike
I’m sure there are a lot of us who want to be that little girl again without a care in the world. Loved your post. Thanks for sharing your very cute story. Dropping by from the Dare linkup.
LikeLike
Thanks, Suzy!
LikeLike
The title of Thomas Wolfe’s (arguably) most famous novel (1940) is “You Can’t Go Home Again.” I don’t know if that’s true or not. Probably not, though sometimes, I wish it were. I think most of us want to recapture those bits and pieces of our lives we remember as carefree and happy. But outside of science fiction, there’s no such thing as a time machine and for us, time moves in only one direction…forward. As much as I’d like to spin the clock backward, I know I can’t. The only thing I, you, or anyone else can do is try to make our lives moving forward what we want them to be. To quote “Doc” (Christopher Lloyd) from the end of the third “Back to the Future” movie (1990), “It means your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.”
LikeLike
Oh, I agree, James. There isn’t any “going back.” I do think it’s important, though, to remember the times when we felt truly joyous. They help us to find ways to be joyous now.
LikeLike
so great. i loved this post. Visiting from the #fmf community. Love, Traci Michele http://www.tracimichele.com
LikeLike
Thanks for stopping by, Traci!
LikeLike
Such a beautiful challenge! To remember the simple, small beginnings that sometimes get lost in the shuffle of life. I’m one who tends to run on “serious” instead of “silly”, but yes, sometimes we just have to breathe, have fun, and count our blessings! Thank you for the reminder, from a fellow FMF partier. 🙂
LikeLike
You’re spot on, Tiffany! I run on the “serious” side as well and it’s really easy for me to get bogged down in negativity. It’s important that we all take a moment here and there to just have some fun. Just because. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person