Happy Hump Day! May you keep smiling and remember kind.
I strive to live my life as a positive example in many ways. It’s important to have fun and engage in hands-on activities with your children and grandchildren, even if it takes you longer. Stay involved and try to see the glass as half full rather than almost empty. Remember, age is just a number—it’s all about how you choose to perceive it. Embrace new experiences or revisit old ones; even if you fail, at least you’ll have a humorous story to share, and perhaps even a few pictures. Let me share a personal example with you!
Last year just after Thanksgiving in early December my wife and I and our daughter Kate purchased tickets to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Sq. for their Holiday Extravaganza and also to see the recently opened new greenhouse exhibit. However, when entering before heading down the paths to the greenhouse or Conservatory we decide to head towards the back pond, waterfall at the base of the Bell Tower. I might add it draws crowds Internationally so get your ‘timed’, tickets well in advance if you’re planning a trip and especially to be there as it turns dusk as the place lights up taking on a new life of its own.
Being a bit slower and wanting to take some pictures my wife and daughter went on ahead to the bell tower. There is a pond not very deep about 2-3 feet or so that winds to a waterfall that is surrounded with various plants, shrubs, conifers and rhododendrons. My wife and daughter Kate said they were going back to the waterfall which would make me hidden from their view. As I started down the path I saw to boys around the ages of 8 and 10 jump from stone to stone around the pond. It reminded me of things me and my recently passed brother Larry and friends would have done on many occasions growing up and spending much of our youth in Cobbs Creek Park in S.W. Philly.
This particular day on my way to the bell tower a young couple with their parents reaching for cameras as the soon to be fiancé bent down on one knee to ask for her hand. So, I quickly headed towards the bell tower I was feeling kind of youthful and wanted to give them their time. That’s my story and I am sticking to it.
The stones around the pong are big, and it didn’t seem the two boys I saw didn’t have too much trouble navigating the switch back turn and steps down leading to the waterfall from the back end. Also, I was intent on surprising my wife who was looking down the path, that normal adults not acting like kids would take. I would’ve pulled it off too if it weren’t for the last step down being overhung by bushes. My daughter upon seeing me was about to take my picture and just then I started to slip. She tried to grab me by my coat which kept me from falling totally into the pond. Now you know how I determined the pond was only 2-3 feet deep.
TIn the opening area near the waterfall, there was a bench hidden from view. After deciding, much like Clark Griswold at Wally World in National Lampoon’s Vacation, that we wouldn’t leave until we saw everything, I sat down, took off my shoes and socks, and wrung out my pants as best as I could.
While I was wringing out my socks, a mother and her daughter walked by, captivated by the waterfall. They stopped and burst into laughter when they saw me barefoot, trying to dry my socks, sneakers, and pants. My daughter insisted that I take her dry socks and discard mine.
To our credit, we spent three hours exploring everything. I might add that I spread more joy, smiles, giggles, and laughter that day than Christmas morning. I’m sure that anyone who caught a glimpse of me still talks about it whenever Longwood Gardens comes up in conversation.
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