Be a Kid: Play on the Playground!

How many times have you gone past your local playground and stared longingly at the swings? How many times have you imagined yourself sliding down the slide and playing on the jungle gym? And how many times have you told yourself: that playground is for kids - I can't use it or I'll wreck it!

Guess what: although most playgrounds today are made of easily wreck-able hard plastic, you can find local playgrounds that still use iron for their bars and tires for their swings. And guess what? YOU CAN USE THE PLAYGROUND!

Forget about the sneers and laughter, or about the kids playing on the playground. Get on that swing. Try that slide. Go on the jungle gym.

If a kid comes up to you and asks why you're still playing, say, "We never stop playing."

If an adult looks at you suspiciously, do your best to reassure them that you're not the local neighborhood psychopath/sociopath/pedophile/rapist/idiot, and show them this blog entry. You may need to print it out or take your laptop with you as evidence.

As soon as you've convinced everyone that you're living a life of healthy craziness, you can start going back to the swing and playing. Who knows? You might be able to bond with the neighborhood kids, and teach the next generation to keep the wisdom of childhood.