30 Day Writer's Challenge | Day 8

Running through the woods.  Biking in the neighborhood.  Splashing in the creek.  Rollerblading at Sparkles.  Hide and Seek on the trail.  Catching fireflies in the trees.  Jumping on the trampoline.  Building tree forts.  Climbing trees.

These are the memories I grew up with.  These are the activities that I took part in as a kid.  Nintendo was rewarded for good behavior and only for a limited time.  We didn't have cable for most of my childhood when we moved to Georgia and even before that, we still spent most of the time out in the wilderness, dreaming up games to play and people to be when we grew up.  "Come in when it gets dark," was all we were told.  We'd spend hours on end outside.

What happened to these moments?  What happened in our society that keep children holed up in their houses. 

Cable.  Video games.  Internet.

Really?  Are these honestly the only reasons why children aren't experiencing the outdoors?

I miss those times.  The good times.  Simpler times.  We enjoyed the air and the amazing company.  We enjoyed our childhood. 

When's the last time you ran through the grass barefoot?

Or caught a firefly just to watch it glow?

When's the last time you were outside to do anything except walk to your car?

...Before Italy, I really can't remember...