In 1979, my parents bought a trampoline.
It was the best thing they ever bought us.
The end.
*
I have so many summertime memories that involve our trampoline ("our" being used loosely here, since I don't actually own it but it still belongs to me). Some people use tvs for babysitters; my parents used the trampoline. "Outside," they'd say. And out we went to play on the trampoline. We put the sprinkler under the trampoline. We threw snowballs from the trampoline. We slept on the trampoline. We read on the trampoline. I'm pretty sure--and don't tell my parents--I kissed boys on the trampoline. It was the center of our little farm universe.
Not surprisingly, Sydney and Jules love the trampoline.
Among the things that kids like to do, I think jumping has to rank pretty high up on the list. Running in circles is also amazingly entertaining, as is creating games that have 513 rules that change every 30 seconds. Something that invites kids to do all three at the same time? A trampoline.
We spent most of the afternoon jumping today. Jumping and running in circles. And then there was some kind of game that involved jumping over the rope, and I was competing against "Miranda" and Sydney was competing against "Lassie."
Syd and I won every time. Take that Miranda and Lassie.
I quickly realized after a bit of jumping that my equilibrium isn't what it used to be. Or whatever it is that keeps you from feeling kind of sick to your stomach when you jump. My legs managed to keep up for an hour before I finally called it quits.
Sydney kept going.
The kids have years ahead of them where the trampoline will no doubt be the place to be. Jumping, running, bouncing, playing, reading, sleeping, eating--the trampoline gets to relive another generation's childhood all over again.
There's only one teeny tiny, fuzzy frizzy problem with the trampoline...
Well, nothing is perfect.
