These things shall never die

As I was watching Mason and his friends ride their rip-stiks the other day, I started to feel a bit  nostalgic and found myself reminiscing of my own childhood yesteryears. Do you remember when you were young, running out the front door, yelling, "bye Mom" and playing the entire day without checking in or worrying about anything but playing? Those were the good 'ole days I tell you.


I remember non-stop playing; climbing cherry trees, little league baseball games, soccer games in the rain, digging for lost treasure, finding a Mama and her 3 baby possum in our yard, neighborhood garage sales and hot chocolate stands, swimming, tether-ball, crashing on my bike, playing the board game "Life" for hours upon hours, exploring, swinging on our swing-set until dusk anxiously watching the bats fly over our heads, eating chocolate chip cookies, hiding the neighbors' baby bunnies in my underwear drawer for days, playing the game "no bears are out tonight... daddy killed them all last night", laying flat in canal water to cool off from a long, hard day of playing. 

And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Where did the time go? I can't believe I'm the MOM now. It's so surreal watching my little boy play with HIS friends. I'm truly grateful for my memories. I hope I'll always remember my awesome childhood. I know my kids will remember theirs because I take a bazillion pictures of their every move. hee hee!

I adore this poem by Charles Dickens. I especially love the part that says, "Be firm and just and true." Great words to live by.


The pure, the bright, the beautiful
that stirred our hearts in youth,
The impulses to wordless prayer,
The streams of love and truth,
The longing after something lost,
The Spirit's yearning cry,
The striving after better hopes--
These things can never die.


The timid hand stretched forth to aid
A brother in his need;
A kindly word in grief's dark hour
That proves a friend indeed;
The plea for mercy softly breathed,
When justice threatens high,
The sorrow of a contrite heart--
These things shall never die.


Let nothing pass, for every hand 
Must find some work to do,
Lose not a chance to waken love--
Be firm and just and true.
So shall a light that cannot fade
Beam on thee from on high, 
And angel voices say to thee--
"These things shall never die."

                              --Charles Dickens

I can't wait for all this rain to go away because I can already tell it's going to be a memorable summer.