Nostalgia

We all know I am a little bit of a holiday and tradition fiend. I have so many wonderful memories of celebrations from my childhood, and I want to pass those along to my children. Admittedly, I may have jumped up another level on the holiday scale, but many of the traditions are still the same at the core.

Sometimes, though, little moments sneak up on my with waves of nostalgia. Last night, I was trying to undecorate from Easter (I know...the bunnies had long over-stayed their welcome), when I got completely distracted by the sounds of our backyard. Issa, Evan, and Briana were outside playing some kind of imaginary game with nothing but some sticks, a jump rope, and themselves. They were climbing bushes and I think Evan might have been the Hulk. It was hard to tell through all of the laughter. I watched from the window, unseen, and was transported back to my own childhood...

I remember playing with the neighbors in our yard, climbing the big pine tree, and making up the rules as we went. I remember the laughter and never knowing what the day would hold. Aside from my cousins, I haven't spoken to any of those childhood neighborhodd friends in years, aside from an occasional facebook post. We lost one in high school, and the rest of us have all gone our separate ways. But I still remember the laughter and freedom as one of the highlights of childhood.

In the wake of recent events, I am so grateful to live in a place where I can still let my children just play in the backyard. I love that I don't need to watch every moment, and I've almost stopped holding my breath while they climb branches. I want them to remember the same laughter and freedom, and I am so happy to recapture a little of that feeling myself.