Thrift and Industry

When I was a kid, my sisters and I would play games like "office" and "scientist".  We would gather whatever materials we could find around our house or yard and find a way to create our own fun.  Our games were always centered around pretending and acting out a role and we were really, really good at it.  I think we did this partly because we were imaginative and creative children.  But I also think we did it because we didn't always have the latest and greatest toy and we weren't always on our way out to lunch or to a movie, or to the mall or rec center.  We weren't going to college football games or NBA games or doing any of the awesome things that my kids get to do ALL THE TIME. 

But we were having a blast, always.  I cherish all of my childhood memories with my sisters and my brother.  We really knew how to have a good time and how to make our own fun.  And to my parents' credit, they let us.  Pretty much no limitations on what we could use and abuse.  They were great.  And easygoing.  And fun, too.  (In fact, they still are.)

Well, every once in a while magic happens here at our house.  My boys stop fighting and they find what I like to call, "their groove".  They spend some time just being kids and brothers and they start enjoying each other.  This happens all too rarely for my taste, but I cherish it when it does. 

A couple of weeks ago they decided to dig a hole with some neighbor kids.  This is not the first time this has ever happened.  They really love to dig and if we EVER finish our backyard completely they will be very sad to see their digging site disappear.  But this is the first time I stopped what I was doing to take pictures of the dig. 

They were completely engrossed in the task at hand; digging a hole.  The hole had no purpose as far as I could tell.  There was no plan for playing in the hole or refilling the hole.  It wasn't dug to house anything.  It simply needed to be dug.  And when it was done they were proud.  And happy.  And tired.

I love when magic happens.  And I love that digging a hole is as important today as it was in 1983.