Tonight, I witnessed the true meaning of the common phrase:
"pure unadulterated joy"
My friend's son turned 10 today. Double-digits. We went bowling. A simple, very American pastime, like stock car racing, the sort the "elite" are wont to denigrate. Seven boys, four moms, one dad, and a bowling alley full of fascinating characters (I wanted to take photos of them all). The crashing-rolling-echoing din of the place would make any mildly autistic person (like myself) insane.
Their bowling names: Dragon, Soup, Smoker, Sarge, Grendl, Mouse, and Jaguar.
At one point they were all chanting in unison, "Soup, Soup, Soup, Soup!" It was spontaneous and beautiful. And when Soup made a spare, you'd have thought they had all won the lottery, there was such merry-making and high-fiving and back-slapping. It occurred to me then, while watching them together, seemingly on the same team, unconcerned with scores, celebrating each fallen pin together..... it occurred to me that I was happy watching them be happy.
"Why did you choose to have kids?" a friend once asked me. "They give me a reason to get out of bed in the morning," I replied. It's that simple, really. They keep us from giving in to our Selves. Yet sometimes, when we are completely unaware, they give us a glimpse of a world without terror or global warming or divorce. It may be a lie, but at least there is merriment. If only for a moment.
2 comments:
it was pure--in so many ways. as they get older, move into double digits, there will be fewer and fewer of these moments. when is the last time you experienced a "pure" moment?
Thanks for sharing on my blog. Lovely to meet you and read your stuff.
Bing, Liv and I love bowling. We are Ginger, Swish, and Tigress.
And I had a child to keep myself from drowning in my own mediocrity. I think children force you to be committed and original and just...present.
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