Today, February 17 is my mother’s birthday. It seems impossible that it has been nearly 25 years since her death, mostly due to the fact that there is not a day that goes by that she does not come into mind. Whether it is the kids, the grandchildren she never met, or me just wanting to speak with her, the years do not seem to matter. As much as I miss her, now when her birthday rolls around, I am filled with joy. And every year at this time, my childhood memories come flooding back as vivid as if I were there again.
Today, February 17 is my mother’s birthday. It seems impossible that it has been nearly 25 years since her death, mostly due to the fact that there is not a day that goes by that she does not come into mind. Whether it is the kids, the grandchildren she never met, or me just wanting to speak with her, the years do not seem to matter. As much as I miss her, now when her birthday rolls around, I am filled with joy. And every year at this time, my childhood memories come flooding back as vivid as if I were there again.
Things were so much different then. Growing up in the South and moving a lot as my father worked in Civil Service, there was never a place that we lived that we children didn’t have places to go and play on any given day. Most of my life there was farmland, or woods filled with creeks, ponds and vines that made everyday a special adventure. We could play any type of ball game in the street in front of our house. We lived carefree. The only playgrounds we ever saw were at school.
It is not that way today. If I have any regrets with my own children, it is the fact that they were unable to just go anywhere and play. Now, any open space is owned and blocked off, or it is a public park and you cannot climb trees, pick flowers, chase bugs or go catching crawdads in a creek. It is all so protected, and rightfully so because many do not respect the nature that is around us.
Today we make “play dates” for our children, we have to pay for almost anywhere we go, and our open spaces are restricted, or when open to the public, look only and do not touch. I think that is why my magnolia tree in my front yard means so much to me. Not only does it remind me of my roots, but also my children and grandchildren have been climbing that tree, having hours of fun for 20 years. It is a joy to watch, especially as the littlest ones try to keep up with the older ones.
Tonight I am heading to the KaBOOM! playground design here in El Cajon. This program is providing our children today a place to play. As sad as it still makes me feel that they do not have the natural playgrounds as I had as a child, these playgrounds are a sanctuary for our kids and being neighborhood destinations, give the kids a safe place to play. This is extremely important in this day and age where even our urban streets are unsafe to play in and to do almost anything with your children, you have to spend money.
One thing that is special about KaBOOM! is that it allows the community to be involved in what they want in their own neighborhood. Even the children. I am heading to the one-day design tonight where children get the first say in what they want in the playground, and then adults jump in after to add in their input. And with a lot of help from the community, when it comes to building the playground, it is all done in one day. KaBOOM!
It is important for parents to be involved in what is happening in their communities and this is a great opportunity to get our children involved at a very young age.
This is not the first KaBOOM! project in El Cajon, or our other cities. This program has already given the community many playgrounds that we can take our children to freely. It is not like my adventures as a young boy, but it is a great addition to our neighborhoods, and for those who live in the area where these playgrounds are placed, a welcomed addition.
You might be missing this planning group in El Cajon, but I am sure that there will be many opportunities in the future to become involved. And, I am not quite sure about the procedure, but if your neighborhood needs a playground for your children, there are several options in submitting applications for getting a playground built in a day in your neighborhood that has the availability for grants. For the cities in our communities that foster this program, keep on doing so. You are investing in the safety of our children today and their future.
