Lorraine Harris,
Fish Hoek
Swish… up all higher it goes…shrieks of delight. Whoosh! Down it comes again.
When last did you swing?
The very thought makes me bubble with pleasure. Total abandonment to the joy of the moment. Soul food.
I was fortunate enough to enjoy a childhood when swings were common place. I have access to the most awesome memories in my adult life that remind me that it is okay to and necessary for my inner child to come out and play.
The sensation of pleasure and feeling vibrantly alive is readily accessible and deeply rooted in my soul.
Swish… as my hair blows in the wind, leaning back as far as I can and then as far forward as my legs will propel me. Swish… as my toes point into arrows catapulting me up ever higher in a locomotive grind.
Light-hearted, light-headed… effortlessly honouring my impulses when I allow myself to play, when I give myself permission to connect to joy… my soul bellows in celebration.
Too often we forget this part of ourselves that taps us into joy, activating the feel-good chemistry and initiates the child within.
Swish! There goes my time. Swish! I didn’t get through my to-do list. Too often we get stuck in the minutia and feel overwhelmed and depressed because we don’t prioritise time for relaxation and connection to joy. As adults we need to take on many roles. It’s called “adulting”.
But I urge you to balance this with pleasure, community and downtime. It could be for coffee with a friend, walking the dogs, a work-out at the gym, hobbies (my favourite is mosaic) that enliven you, a good old South African braai or watching the sunset or full moonrise.
It doesn’t matter your playground – what matters is that you make time to swing!
