Playing in the Puddles

We all need a time-out every once in a while, a chance to take a break and let our inner child go free.  Whether with your friend, your mom, your spouse, or with a child, playing in the dirt, dancing to a new favorite song, or splashing in the puddles are all huge boosts to our mental stamina and emotional health.  My mom does it through hypnosis and ancient trance positions, my husband does it by planting tomatoes and lemons with our sons.  I, unfortunately, have no set “recharge time” and thus had not heeded my own advice for a while….until one day this past summer.
 
As it began to drizzle on that hot summer day, my kids and I welcomed the wetness and the twenty degree drop to the 80’s.  As a typical stay-at-home Mom, I had activities planned for morning, followed by a not-so-successful naptime.  I felt myself getting a bit grouchy as my groggy kids rolled out of bed, having fallen asleep much too late for our usual schedule.  I had two options.  We all mope around OR Mommy take control. I remembered that my older sister and her kids had often gone on excursions in the rain.  We all put on our rain boots and headed out the front door.
 
Although my kids were groggy after their later-than-normal and shorter-than-normal naps, as I began to jump into deep puddles, run through the mud piles, and slide into the grass, their faces lit up and their squeals filled the air.  Their sounds were contagious, and I began to sing and dance under the raindrops.  We later took a break, gently gathering snails and rolly-pollies that were out enjoying the damp grass as well.  There were no rules (of “don’t get muddy in your church clothes”, “don’t push Mommy onto the ground”, “don’t splash each other”), only encouragement to “open your mouths to the sky and feel the raindrops on your tongues!”
 
As we arrived home, my sons filled with laughter, my husband met us in the front yard.  Instead of worrying about his dress shirt and expensive shoes, he welcomed our boys with open arms and even danced in the rain with them.  He, the boys, and I were soaked and plentiful in bliss.  We all went inside to have a pizza (the boys and I ate healthy baked chicken and veggies at lunch and bask in our togetherness.
 
Sometimes it takes a rainy day, some no-napping little munchkins, and some guileless little minds to get us to enjoy the most simple things in life, like puddles, mud, snails.

Submitted by Claudia from Plano