I’ve mentioned before that I am a cub scout leader. Last night we had a pack meeting, in which we honor the boys’ efforts and achievements, show off what we’ve been doing, and provide some brief family activities. My wife-and-co-leader and I organized some games. One was a relay race in which the kids would line up on one side of the gymnasium. One by one they would take a sheet of orange tissue paper, run to the other side of the gym, stuff the paper in one end of a toilet paper tube to make a “lit candle”, leave it standing, and run back to tag the next in line. For the second heat they do the same thing, only “putting the candles out”.
It was a big hit. They wanted to do it over and over. My wife noted something later that reminded me just how removed I’ve become from the child I used to be: many kids love to run, with or without reason. It’s easy to forget the feeling of running free, of having the room to just let it go. When you’re young your body still, for the most part, does whatever you want it to without thought or complaint. Chances to use your body are liberating, a personal “look-what-I-can-do!”
It’s hard to remember ever wanting to run for the sake of running. Now I have to need to get somewhere quickly before I’ll consider it. Running is something to be avoided.
There’s not much I regret losing from having grown up. But there are times when the sheer joy of running is one of them.
Speaking from a girl’s perspective, I can say that girls have the urge to run, too. I still remember the “itch” in my bones that I could calm only by running, and running FAST. It was wonderful.
No slight against girls intended. I just had last night and all those boys on my mind. But yes, the girls also participated enthusiastically, and looked like they were having fun. I recall as late as high school feeling a surge of satisfaction from a good run. It’s gone now, unfortunately.