Go Outside

There was a whole group on the front lawn.
Ultimate Frisbee was the game.
The humidity was such that after only a few minutes, everyone was drenched.
The heat didn’t deter the ferocity of the game.

There was stiff competition going on here.
Boys against girls, then other pairings as they saw fit.
It was fun to watch.
Finally, I remembered a box of Popsicles in the freezer.

I opened the box towards the end of the game after one team scored.
Anyone want a Popsicle?
Young adults ran across the lawn as if they were the little boys and girls I remembered.
What is it about summer and Popsicles?

What is it about being outside and playing on the front lawn?
Mom, can you ring the bell?
They were serious.
They wanted the bell rung as it had been rung so many times before.

They wanted those who did not grow up here to hear the bell.
They wanted to remember something that was so much a part of their growing up years.
The same cast iron bell that has been on the post outside the laundry room door.
The same bell that was rung when it was dinnertime and I needed them to come home.

Usually, they were riding bikes around the neighborhood.
Sometimes they were playing football across the street on the front lawn with no trees.
The bell could be heard around the neighborhood.
When it was rung, it was time to come home.

It is on my husband’s list of household things that needed to be done.
He wanted to clean up the bell and attach a new rope.
It was on the list, but he never got around to it yet since other things were more important.
As I rang the bell, the rope broke in my hand.

The bell sounded a long clear call right before the rope broke.
The final rings were done by hand as I reached up and tilted the bell.
Memories.
Memories of being outside and being called home.

A company has a new advertisement that should cause all of us to ponder.
Three generations were asked, When you were a kid, what did you do for fun?
The older generation remembers picking blueberries and going fishing.
The middle generation remembers riding bikes, building forts, and playing baseball.

The younger generation only talked about playing video games and being on their tablet.
I forget I’m in a house, that I have parents, that I have a sister, that I have a dog.
I just think I’m in the video game, one boy admits.
I would die if I didn’t have my tablet, a girl stated.

The company said it best.
Scary stuff.
The company has one sentence that captures the essence of the point they are making.
Nature has always been a part of childhood. Let’s make sure it doesn’t stop with us.

It seems as if that statement is a no-brainer.
It is not rocket science to realize that children need to be outside.
It is not progressive parenting to expect that imaginative play is the norm.
It is not unfair to restrict technology usage throughout a child’s day.

The parents and grandparents watched the responses of the children.
They wiped away tears.
They admitted that if left unchecked, future generations would never leave the house.
They all know that something needs to be done.

It reminded me of the Pixar movie WALL-E.
The Axiom, is a starliner, which is a term for a generation ship.
The descendants of the ship’s original passengers have become morbidly obese.
They have begun to rely on the ship’s automated systems for their every need.

Is that what we want to become?
Pixar spoke to the problems of our generation and did it through a robot named WALL-E.
We are becoming so dependent on technology.
Technology has become teacher, entertainer, and social director all in one.

One little boy in the advertisement admitted to using technology five hours a day.
Another confessed, Just last week, I watched 23 episodes of a TV series in four days.
Whenever I feel upset, I play video games and I feel normal; it’s really wonderful.
Is it wonderful or is it simply a distraction that masks true feelings and emotions?

Remember going outside and lying on the grass doing nothing?
Nothing.
That wonderful peaceful feeling of contentment as you lie on the grass and look at clouds.
That feeling of abandon as you ride your bike down a hill or swing high on the swing.

Outside.
The place that became your playground with its endless possibilities.
The place that only required imagination to enter.
The place where you learned about the world firsthand.

Exploration.
Discovery.
Getting along with others.
Sharing.

One-anothering.
Self-discovery.
Learning your place in the scheme of things.
Pondering the majesty of God.

God knows that we will first experience Him in nature.
He says so in His word.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

We are without excuse.
God is evident in His creation.
We should be encouraging our children to be outside.
We should encourage them to explore nature and the wonders of God’s creation.

God is clearly seen and understood from what has been made.
Seeing the glory of God in nature is something we need to teach our children to do.
We need to teach them to look for God as they look up and look around.
Spending their days looking down, they will miss the magnificence of all God has made.

Nature has always been a part of childhood.
Let’s make sure it doesn’t stop with us.
God is evident is all He created.
God outside and see His Glory.

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https://youtu.be/is5W6GxAI3c

 

 

2 responses to “Go Outside”

1. So true! I also worry about the next generation. There are so many things they aren’t learning about, inside and out. As you said, God.s creation, which I think set me on the path to being an artist. Some of my most vivid memories involve my back yard’s flowers and trees, the field across the street, and stream nearby, covered with shady trees–a wonderful place to go in the summer when it was hot. (No air-conditioning back then!) Also, are they learning to really communicate person to person? Learning to recognize body language? I hope things will turn around in many ways.

   Reply

   • Sue, I think parents have to be more intentional to encourage outdoor activities and allow stillness in their child’s day. Being alone and still allows imagination to flourish. Constant movement and activities hinders creativity.
     Gina

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