Swinging through a Thursday

Today was one of those days where you find yourself doing good deeds for others just because. I drove my next door neighbor down to get her hair done. This is becoming one of those rituals that while it works out well for her and her busy family might just become a bit of a burden for me. Today I was blessed to make this 1 1/2 hour break and play chauffeur. On the return trip home we drove past a small playground. It was empty except for one swing. The occupant of this swing was reaching for the sky. I found myself wishing to be in the swing beside him, pumping those swing chains to catch up.

"Did you see that guy on the swing? He looked way too old to be on one of those" my passenger said.

"Yes, he probably is but he has Downs Syndrome. I wish I were out there with him."

"How do you know? Do you know him."

"No, but he has the face of a Downs Syndrome person and he swings like one.

Silence.

I wished that I could have pulled the car over and taken my passenger by the hand to the swings where she could meet my not yet met new friend and remembered the joy of swinging to the sky and that breathtaking moment of first falling back to earth. Instead I just said something about there being 40 something aged people who would love to be free to swing like that. Sadly, there was no longing for those days for her. Swinging would just mess up her hair. Me, I swang, swinged, was swinging, and just having a great mental swing all the way back home. It was a good afternoon.