The other day when I was in the locker room at the gym the scent of the space suddenly reminded me of the pool I used to frequent when I was a child in Valley Stream, NY. I had a flash of memories from the summers my brother, mother and I used to have such fun there. We walked through the park to get there since my mother did not drive, but it was a beautiful place so we enjoyed the walk. We would hand over our pool passes (boy those photos were not pretty, think DMV photos only much worse – do you believe I actually saved those old pool passes for a laugh now and then) and walk through the locker room to the pool on the other side. For several years, that trip was early in the day to take swimming lessons (three years of beginner lessons and I finally passed!), other times it was midday around lunchtime – when the thrill of eating crispy, greasy french fries beckoned.
I love reminising of those days when playing was all my brother and I thought about. Fun is still an important part of my life and I make time for it, even though it is more scheduled than childhood days. In fact, this weekend I am going to dig out those old pool passes to have a good laugh!
What about you? What fun memories do you have of childhood? What kind of fun do you have now? I’d love to hear your comments!