May 10, 2013 - The Trampoline Park

I hate to admit that I am rejoicing that it's Friday, it almost seems that sometimes we press for the end of the week and forget to find those God-moments scattered throughout the beginning of the week. Although today is busy as well, I am drinking my coffee, thinking of you, and have a full day of proofreading planned, a change in pace helps my brain to switch sides. Today I play in the right side of my brain and allow the left side to chill. A couple of weeks ago, my daughter and I took the girls to the newest, hottest playground around a trampoline park. I am a bit leery of trampolines at any level, as my daughter broke her ankle on one as a teen. But my grand daughters really wanted to go. What an experience! As I opened the entry door and looked up, my eyes focused on a huge room filled with various trampoline experiences and wall-to-wall people. At first I was a bit overwhelmed. But the energy and excitement of the jumpers sucked us into the adventure. After the completion of the necessary paperwork, the craziness arrived. The girls were timid at first, as people were jumping from one trampoline to the other with no seemingly determined pattern or reverence for other jumpers. I wasn't even jumping and my heart started pounding as little people were jumping around big people and from mat to mat like a swarm of bees. My girls jumped onto their first mat and slowly found their rhythm. Within minutes, however, they joined the jumping frenzy and were bopping from mat to mat along with the crowd. Quickly, something grabbed my attention. One of the jumpers left the floor, jumped on the wall, flipped back to the floor and back to the wall...Spiderman? I stood for seconds looking in amazement at all the variations of jumping offered. It was craziness at its finest. Although there were a multitude of trampoline experiences in this arena and the jumpers varied in all shapes and sizes, there was a common denominator running throughout. Contagious fun and spontaneous energy rolled from mat to mat and jumper to jumper. The jumpers were having a great time while sweating like tiny water faucets. Their cheeks were bloody red and they still ran from mat to mat with joy in their journey. I stopped and thought about our journey. Many times our daily routine bounces all over the place, tosses us against the walls, and causes our faces to be red and dripping with sweat, but can we still find a way to laugh? I know the kids were being intentional about this fun encounter, but while they were having a blast, their bodies were working, sweating, and giving off smells that indicated work was taking place all the while smiles and laughter were seen from corner to corner. No matter how much difficulty life bounces our way, let's bounce back, bounce on the wall, bounce in the easy squares and keep moving. Even the kids that hit the mats hard were back to their feet and jumping wildly in seconds, smiling as they began again. My life is a trampoline park experience and my health is only one of the mats. I pray God help me, and you, be fabulous jumpers and come to trust that His strength will help us bounce against life and smile as we bounce again. Enjoy your weekend and find some time to laugh and bounce. (wink) PK