Sunday Saga

When I was growing up, Sundays were family days.

I remember it would start with me hearing someone banging around in the kitchen. Get this - it was my dad! He loves cooking a Sunday morning breakfast. I am talking the WORKS. He is a mid-westerner who moved to the south. Needless to say, the breakfast was heavy and de-lish!

Some of the smells that always remind me of Sunday morning are: bacon, coffee and my father's cologne. That's how I knew it was time to wake up!

After breakfast, there would be the mad rush to find a shoes, or feed the cat or whatever it was my parents would be running about yelling for this or that.

However, my dad found a way to find peace. I would always find him sitting in the living room, with his coffee, listening to classical music on NPR. The man I believe truly enjoyed his Sunday mornings.

Finally we would head to church. Once inside, we would all go our separate ways to Sunday School. Afterwards, we would meet upstairs and head into the sanctuary for one hour of worship, followed by me running downstairs to the swing set to begin a mid-morning rush to play with friends at the church playground.

After all of the adult socializing and kiddie socializing was complete - we would drive to my grand parent's home for an AMAZING lunch prepared by my great-grandmother.  I specifically remember a roast with potatoes. That was one of her specialities. Of course, numerous family members would come over and I would end up going outside to play with my cousins.

Life was simple. Life was good.

Eventually we would make it home and I think my parents would collapse in front of the tv. Not me - I would change clothes and head outside.

I spent my entire childhood/teen age years outside. Always, every day. No matter the weather. I would walk everywhere, or ride my bike.

I really feel such a sadness for children to day. I rarely see them playing outside, or riding their bikes. Their parents keep them sooo close. I remember taking chances, and going just a little bit further, but always learning and growing.

I notice many of the young adults I meet today (interns for work) are completely unprepared for the hard, cruel world. They were protected. They had someone right there all the time to tend to their scratches. They weren't allowed to be travel further than their property line.. and god forbid if they ever took a sip of water out of a water hose on a hot summer day.