1 week ago. November 24, 2024 at 9:08 PM
I remembered something today, its actually quite silly to remember, but it is a memory that keeps my youthful joy alive. A memory that for some odd reason I cherish....
When I was about 16 or 17 our neighbors carried me and my sister to an ice rink. I had never skated on ice before, neither had my little sister, but our neighbors daughter had. It was like learning to roller blade for the first time. Challenging at first, but easier the more we skated. However, I found that every so often I would trip and fall, sliding across the ice on my butt in frustration. Luckily I was young, and full of creative ideas. I began to realize that sliding across the ice was quite fun, and since I didn't care what others thought about me I decided to increase my fun by skating and building up speed and then purposely sliding down to slide across the center of the ice where no other skaters were.
My laughter as I did this would ring out across the stadium as I slid across the ice , pretty soon my sister and our neighbors daughter would join in on the fun. We ended up skating fast holding hands and sliding across the ice together. We had so much fun that for a while we forgot the world around us. It wasn't until our ride got there that we came back down to reality, and funnily enough found most of the rink was filled with laughter as others sought to find the joy we shared, in their own lives, as they too had started sliding across the ice.
I can remember looking back and seeing all the smiling and laughing faces as we walked towards the exit that day. It brought me such peace to see such happiness, and that perhaps in a small way I had inspired it. Ironically me, my sister, and our neighbors daughter had all gotten soaked to the bone, and ended up with colds. I laughed with my sister about it, and we shared a secret smile because it had been well worth it.
Even at that age I understood that sometimes, for some, joy and happiness can be fleeting, and sometimes people forget how to just have fun and let go despite what others might think. So for a moment I got to witness the joy and happiness that can be inspired in others by one simple thought, idea, or action.
Perhaps we should all remember that despite the judgmental eyes around us, our lives are our own, and that our actions can often inspire others to feel the same joy that we do in those moments of happiness.
I think perhaps this will always be a memory that I cherish for the rest of my life as it taught me such a valuable lesson in the process.
Happy thanksgiving everyone.