A Reflection of My Childhood Memories of Going Outside, Being Happy, and Enjoying Life

Back in the Day…

I was driving down the street one day, seeing the lovely green grass on one side, and the tall trees on the other. I stopped, stepped out of the car, walked down the beaten path where I sat on a bench that I found many years ago hidden away in a spacious and beautiful part of the forest. Once every month, I come out here and just reflect on what has happened in life and how I could improve on life. Just the beauty of nature puts everything in its place: the sunshine pouring in through the trees to my left, the squirrels running around next to me, the river flowing to my right stocked with beautiful and colorful fish the makes the river beautiful . . . . . Alright, all of that stuff actually never happened, but in all honestly, where has the sense of enjoying the outside gone? When I was 5 or 6, I was outside enjoying the newly purchased lawn right next to our house, because the old house next to us was destroyed. There was a pool, which was always enjoyable during the summer, because we all know how hot it can get during the summer. Even in the winter, going outside would be fun because we could build a snowman, or go sledding down a hill. What happened to going outside with friends, playing basketball or football or some other sport or activity that people do outside? I remember friends knocking on the door saying, “Hey Zach! Come outside and play some football with us!”

Today, five or six year olds are in Wal-Mart, walking around with a smart phone (which to this day, I still do not have one). When I was that age, I did not have a cell phone. I got a cell phone when I was 15 because my father wanted to have a way to contact us if needed. Again with going outside, kids now-a-days spend all their time cooped up in a room playing the next version of Call of Duty or playing basketball or football on the Xbox, whether than playing basketball or football outside. Yes, I am guilty of not going outside and playing video games as much as the next person. Though, even I realize that I need to get better and go outside and stay active than stay cooped up inside all the time.

I realize what everyone is thinking right now, “Why is he just rambling on about going outside? I have heard this spiel a thousand times before!” Well, let me put it to you this way: if your son or daughter in the future was all caught up in technology and not making friends, what would you do? Would you let him or her stay inside all day and be anti-social, or would you want him or her to go out and make friends and live a happy, healthy life? Well, I can hear you say, “But Zach, they have texting and phone calls for a reason!” Here is my response: how would you like it if your boyfriend/girlfriend broke up with you over text message? It hurts, trust me! My ex broke up with me over text message, it is not fun (do not ever do long distance relationships, they suck). Also, this is not a persuasion essay on going outside. Trust me; I hate persuasion essays as much as the next guy. I always think, “Wow, if only the person who wrote this persuasion essay did what they actually are trying to persuade me on doing!”

So, back in the day, we never had a cell phone or a laptop to spend all of our time on. Go outside, be happy, and enjoy life. It is not fun just to stay inside and play video games all day. Okay, so maybe it is, but it is not healthy and even I should realize that we all have something to improve on.