To Be 19 Again…
The squeals of nine 19-year-old girls came from upstairs as they were getting ready to go to a white trash-themed birthday party at 9:30 on a Tuesday night. They had not a care in the world.
For a split second, I think about how fun would it to go back to that age. I instantly think about driving in my best friend Danene’s “shuttle” as we named her car…windows down, jamming out to George Michael’s “I Want Your Sex.” Seriously, as parents we complain about the music these days, but listen to the words of that song. It certainly isn’t any worse than what’s on the radio today. Ultimately, “hell no” comes out of my mouth because I do not have the desire to be 19…not even for a day (please reference my 19-year-old self above)!
However, as adults we get caught up in what people “our age” should do. The other day, I noticed a little girl about the age of 8 in a Jeep with her dad. The top was down, and I could hear her singing her little heart out. But think about this. If you pulled up to the stop sign and saw someone “my age” busting a grove, most people would wonder if he or she had been drinking.
So where in life do we loose the care free, spontaneous, 19-year-old spirit that lives in all of us? Well, certainly as our digits multiply, we encounter increased responsibility, and the weight of life starts to pile on. We begin to balance the addition of a spouse, kids, work and family. Life becomes a routine of get up, get the kids going, go to work, work all day, get the kids, come home, make dinner and then off to bed to get up and do it all again. Just like the commercial…I’s time to make the doughnuts. Oh, I already made the doughnuts.
Life is just a repeat of the day before, and before you know it, we are no longer singing at the stoplight!
Here are 19 ideas to get your youthful spirit back:
1. Have a pillow fight.
2. Eat cake without a fork.
3. Jump on a trampoline.
4. Have a joke telling contest. (Most laughs wins!)
5. Make a family video to rap song.
6. Double dutch it…a serious amount of fun!
7. Chinese fire drill, safety first.
8. Dress up the family dog, and take photos (just make sure to send them to me)!
9. Eat snow ice cream.
10. Recreate your childhood photos with your siblings.
11. Make an obstacle course in the backyard.
12. Sleep outside old-school style…no glamping!
13. Get a blank canvas and have at it!
14. Go swimming in a public fountain.
15. Book an impromptu trip…Vegas Baby!
16.Dance in the rain, or at least play with your kids in the rain ( Totally cliché but a must do).
17. Eat Dessert first! I never understood why more people don’t do this because you’re gonna eat it anyway!
18. Plan a Sunday Funday with zero dollars spent.
19. TP someone’s house and leave them guessing.