THE BEST PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT OF THE DAY

The Playground @ Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas (03JUL2022)

One of my favorite things to do is watch my children interact with the world around them, especially when I am sure they either know I am not watching them or are so absorbed by their circumstance they pay no attention to the fact I am around. Ever since we arrived at Petit Jean on Friday afternoon, he and Anna begged us for the chance to go play on the big playground, for they were quite aware from past experience there was some cool stuff on which to play. So, late this morning, off they went to this oasis.

They were so overjoyed to get to play that I figured they would spend all the time between the swings and the other fixed equipment. After awhile, though, I noticed something odd. I looked at the swings, and there was no Joseph. I looked on the pay structures, and there, too, Joseph was nowhere to be found. Then I looked straight ahead and saw this scene.

With everything there was to explore here, my son was happy as a clam just sitting there and playing with the rocks, absorbed in his own world, doing his own thing. My son reminded me of something important here, something that I believe we too often forget as we get trapped into the things of life: Joseph reminded me that joy is possible simply by engaging with that which is in front of us.

Today’s picture begs the question for all of us: What joys are there for the taking right in front of us?

After I took this picture, Joseph turned to me and invited me to “come play rocks with [him.]” I sat down across from him and he just giggled as he buried his daddy’s feet in rocks. We laughed and laughed, and it was pure joy for us both.

Yes, Joseph enjoyed his time on the swings and the other equipment. His joy, his most infectious joy, though, came from the simple rocks where he was able to get lost in his own imagination and then get to giggling with his daddy “playing rocks.”

What rocks in the playground of life are in front of you, begging you to discover joy in them?

Grace and Peace,
Lamar

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