School
has now been out for a couple of weeks. Some neighborhoods are filled with the
sounds of children laughing and hollering. They ride bikes, trikes, scooters
and skateboards. There are basketballs being bounced ... soccer balls being
kicked ... baseballs being slammed into the air (which hopefully will avoid landing, as they have in the past, in the
middle of one of my windows). Small dramas are invented ... games designed
... pecking orders established and leaders defined.
Soon,
kids will start summer school, go to Vacation Bible school, participate in
community sponsored recreational programs, travel to camp or spend their days
in scheduled activities provided by the local childcare center. Some kids will
have their eyes glued (from dawn to dusk) to the TV, computer screen, cell
phone or electronic game station. Others will be searching for ways to occupy
their time (with some getting into mischief) and keeping themselves amused
until parent, guardian or older sibling arrive home from work.
Right
now, there appears to be a bit of a lull in the scheduled activities and
programs of community organizations, local schools and churches.
And
the kids who are running around outdoors all seem pretty doggone happy about
having some time to play. They look a bit more rested than on the mornings when
they waited for the school bus ... seem a lot more relaxed than they were at
the end of each long week of school.
They
look young.
