Come On, Get Higher!

She was about one. Her little self looking so small in the seat, using all her strength to hold herself up, to keep from flailing headlong into the seat strap. She was so happy, the feel of the wind in her face, on her hair, her cheeks rosy, her eyes lit up with delight as she her body rocked back and forth, her feet dangling below her, the ground must have seem miles away.

The swing was her favorite playground activity from that day forward. She gradually progressed to having even more fun as she grew, her body gaining strength to hold herself up, her legs stretching out to make the gap between the ground and her swing seat less scary.

Soon she was outgrowing that baby swing, able to sit in the hammock style seat on her own. Her feet almost able to touch the ground, her arms and hands strong and able to support her body. She could swing all afternoon, as long as someone was there to give her a starting push and then every now and then at intervals to keep up the speed. Some of our favorite afternoons have been spent in the Fall air, me pushing that swing and my girl, learning to pump those legs and singing her favorite songs as she moved through the air, up and back and up and back.

After five years, at least four of them spent practicing swinging, tonight, we went out to the swing set to enjoy the cool, Fall evening. She climbed in the swing and before I could get positioned at the back of the swing...she pushed off with her feet, pumped those legs and whoosh...off into the evening sky she went, up and back, up and back. She smiled, laughed, put her head back and sang her favorite song. She was swinging, all on her own, she has mastered this rite of passage. She no longer needed anyone to give her a starting push or to keep her swinging. The look on her face was priceless, I tried to be happy at this, one more, step toward independence.

Swinging alone today...riding a bike without training wheels tomorrow...driving a car, getting married and leaving me the next! Life with my girl is whizzing by me, just like being on that swing,faster and faster and higher and higher, up and back, up and back. And just like my girl, I hope the world can see the smile on my face, hear the laughter in my voice and feel the wonder and joy I am blessed to know every day.

I don't know if a swing could take me much higher than the feeling of being her mom has taken me so far!


Living Happily in the Moment!
Bev