Introducing our new mini-series: Ordinary Extraordinary, a personal challenge from us to you, highlighting ordinary life experiences in extraordinary ways. Otherwise and oftentimes overlooked, simple joys exist all around us. Old-fashioned toys, everyday objects, natural “treasures,” hidden art, weird words, outside games, and unexpected discoveries form the stories of our lives. Truly appreciating life’s simplicity requires a perspective shift, a touch of curiosity, a willingness to slow down, and the energy to play like a child.
We began with a merry-go-round of yesteryear. Metal and riveted, paint worn shiny with youthful grasps spanning two generations, the carousel boasted proudly and beckoned under the midday sun. The kids jumped on.
“Push us, Dad! Push us, Mom!”
This was a tall request. Knowing full well that we would need to RUN the circumference hundreds of times, spinning our brains, racing our hearts, and racing to achieve maximum velocity, we obliged anyway. We had no choice. These are our kids, and by gosh, we must see to it they fully experience a REAL merry-go-round, steel danger and all, as many times as possible before the timeless artifact is relegated to a plastic and foam disappointment stamped with a modish logo.
Whizzing past like the days gone by, the kids whirled around us, making memories. We ran; they flew.
And we all lived to tell the tale.
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When was the last time you went on an old-school merry-go-round? Do you prefer modern playgrounds, or do you have a favorite old one?
Leave a note below! ~Angela and Chris