BOUNCE for Joy!

Posted by Nicki Peasley Share Your Voice

I hadn’t had my coffee yet this morning when I agreed to take my son and his friends to one of those inflatable fun parks, where kids can literally “bounce off the walls.”  It served me right really—I was checking e-mail and voicemail when my 6-year-old towhead crawled into my lap and whispered his request in my ear.  Distracted with multitasking (just what I’ve been preaching against of late), the words, “sure, honey, that sounds great,” rolled off my tongue, illuminating my kid’s face with sheer delight.  There was no taking this one back.

Two  hours later, I found myself driving a minivan full of excited little people to Kangaroo Jacks.  I brought my notebook with me as my brilliant Bounce coworker pointed out that surely this “bouncy” experience might somehow be great material for my next bounce blog post.   (I know, more multitasking—I’m a work in progress). 

Upon entering this kid haven, I immediately felt the need to close my eyes and breathe.   My son and his friends raced to the biggest inflatable attraction and I settled down with my notebook at the only table available which just happened to be under the speaker that was “pumping up the party.”  I do love Hannah Montana, but her reverberating voice combined with all the visual and tactile stimulation surrounding me was enough to make me wonder why I didn’t fill my water bottle with vodka.

And then, I heard the words I hear at least ten times a day, “Hey Mom, watch this.”  Presence, I told myself, is the greatest gift you can give your children.  So, I closed my notebook and found my way through the crowd of little people to find my boy, dressed in his favorite tie dyed “born to be wild” t-shirt, ready to launch from the top of the giant yellow slide.

I watched my son and his friends bounce with reckless abandon (so reckless, in fact, that we had two minor injuries within the first 20 minutes).  As I kissed their boo boos and sent them back into paradise, I realized that children are much better acquainted with joy than adults are.  When was the last time I bounced for joy?

Living that question, I kicked off my shoes and heaved my sockless self into the bounce pit (being sockless, I was breaking the rules which added an element of excitement to this joy experiment).  As I bounced for joy, I shouted to my son and his mystified friends, “Watch me!”  And they did.

After a few minutes, I remembered that my equilibrium is not what it used to be. (I get seasick in the bathtub).  So, I left my somewhat embarrassed son in the pit with his friends and I went to my notebook, again, asking myself the question-- in my everyday life, how do I bounce for joy?

That’s when I remembered the party my family and I attended last weekend. There was a reggae band, a warm summer breeze, and fresh cut grass under my feet.  And yes, I was joyful, not bouncing, but dancing, with reckless abandon.   I remember feeling so joyful, in fact, that at one point, I felt like I was flying.  (No, there was no vodka in my water bottle that night either).

I was dancing (and levitating) all alone until a bevy of beautiful  little girls came to join me.  We skipped around like fairies, weaving in and out of each other’s arms.  We were each leaders of our own bodies, our own joy, fully present in the magic of those moments.

Back at Kangaroo Jacks, as I recorded this memory in my notebook, I smiled a deep and soulful smile.  My son and his friends approached me, breathless and thirsty.  They each enjoyed a popsicle and I began to pack up our things.  “Not yet, Mom.  I want to bounce til’ I burst!”  I set down my bag, pulled my wise child onto my lap and said, “Me too, baby.  I want to bounce til I burst, too.”

This week, I invite you, in your own unique way, to BOUNCE for joy!

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Nicki Peasley I am the CEO of my home, managing a team consisting of a 40 year old, an 11 year old, an 8 year old, and a 6 year old. In my spare time, I am the YOUth development director for Bounce, writing curriculums and working (playing and learning) with elementary and middle school youth.