Girls Write Out
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Picture four adults in their fifties walking down the middle of the street in a quiet residential neighborhood. They're holding serious conversations...and they're blowing bubbles. Like little kids. Oh, yes, and there's a dog, and fireflies, and cicadas singing. The pose you see above was after our walk. I just had to catch this image on camera to prove that adults really can have simple, uncomplicated fun. No television necessary, no movies, not even a book. We can enjoy one of childhood's pleasures.

One of my friends met me for a walk one day--I may have mentioned it on a blog a few weeks ago. She knew I was feeling stressed and disturbed, and she wanted to cheer me up. So she stopped at a store on her way to meet me, and picked up a couple of bubble tubes. It cheered us up then, so when we got together with our husbands last week, I brought more bubble tubes to see how the guys would respond. Have you ever watched little boys out playing in the sunshine...or even wading through puddles in the rain? Adorable. Our husbands fully invested themselves in this effort to lighten daily worries and have fun.

One day I was out hiking by myself, and I asked God, "If you were walking beside me in human form, what would you tell me?"

I waited for thirty minutes and two miles for the answer, but it was worth the wait. The answer was, "Take time to play."

So every day, I take time to play. Yes, I know I've harped on this subject a lot, but it's for a good reason. Sometimes, the older we get, the more we forget about simple childhood pleasures. One of my favorite things to do as a child was to make up stories. Well, now that I do that for a living, it's no longer such a simple pleasure, it's a job. So I have to find other things, simpler things, to lighten my daily burden. I watch the cats wrestle, or I walk in the rain, or I blow bubbles.

I challenge you to find a bubble tube at your local store, go outside, forget about what the neighbors might think, and wave the bubble wand in the wind. Watch those glowing orbs float up and away, and imagine your burdens are floating off with them. Get out there and have some fun!

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Hannah Alexander  
posted at 11:40 PM  
  Comments (12)
 
 
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12 Comments:
At 12:27 AM, Blogger Kristin said...

Oh it looks so much fun! Today we went to an amusement park and some guy spent a quarter to get us wet. Well, he went on the ride next, and the kids and I waited for him to come by and spent a quarter of our own. We kept seeing each others' families all wet after the ride, and we'd all start laughing. Sometimes, being childish is well worth the trouble! Great reminder.

 
At 1:00 AM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

Kris, you definitely know how to have a good time. That makes all the difference in how you view the world. Keep playing.

 
At 3:10 AM, Blogger Christmas-etc... said...

Absolutely! "Take time to Play!" I couldn't agree more!
Ann
www.stnicholasandchristmas.com

 
At 3:16 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Besides, who has more experience at play than grown-ups?

 
At 3:28 AM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

That's right, Ann and Ruthie! We've had plenty of experience. And yet, I don't get bored just blowing bubbles, even after all this time.

 
At 8:31 AM, Blogger Katy McKenna said...

LOVE this! I bought bubble tubes and horns for my mom's 80th birthday. She's wheelchair bound, so I decided we (her kids and their spouses) would make a parade out of pushing her across the busy street from the nursing home to the restaurant. She wore a tiara and a fake ring so big we had to bow to her and kiss it. We had bunches of Happy Birthday helium balloons. Cars slowed down, honked and people waved out their windows. This was in April, and it was such a fun day for all of us. The pics turned out GREAT. Mom still loves to look at them. Even smack dab in the middle of dismal, if you give it a little extra effort, you can have major fun.

I needed this word today!!! Thank you.

 
At 9:06 AM, Blogger Pam Sanderlin said...

Katy, love your description of your mom's 80th celebration. You gave me some ideas! Thanks!

GWO, LIKE LIKE LIKE the new design on the website. It's GREAT!!!!

 
At 12:28 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

Katy, how perfect! Shining the light of joy through a difficult situation. It's a great example.

 
At 12:30 PM, Blogger Colleen Coble said...

Love the pic! I've been blowing bubbles with Punky lately. :-)

 
At 1:01 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

Yes, Colleen, but we know you always know how to have fun...when you're not busy taking care of everyone else to make sure they're having fun.

 
At 5:36 PM, Blogger jel said...

that's a fun shot!

Got a gallon of the stuff under the table just waiting to use it! :)

 
At 5:56 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

LOL. Enjoy, jel!!! It's addictive.

 

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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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