Throwing Like a Girl

Today we finally got some weather that actually felt like Spring - yipee!!!! Being my recovery day I limited my physical activity to playing catch with my daughter. She throws like a girl. Really - the stereotypical girl throw - she's the poster child. If you want to teach your kids how not to throw she's the model. She does it with a smile. I think she knows she throws like a girl. She doesn't care. For her the only point behind any activity is to have fun. She is far wiser than I give her credit for sometimes. I hope she never grows up and embraces adult wisdom. We've got it all wrong sometimes.

Playing with my kids balances me and helps me keep things perspective. They run the wrong way around the bases. They hold the bat upside down and look serious as they stand at the plate. Then they burst out laughing. They put cards in their spokes and then tear off down the street like Harley riders. They don't obsess over the air pressure levels in their tires. They don't watch the weather channel before they go out and then go through three wardrobe changes. I play with them because it allows me to abandon my usual obsessions and just go out and have fun for the sake of having fun.

I'm always surprised at how few parents come out to play in my neighborhood. Most seem content to sit on the couch and watch the latest reality TV show - watching life instead of living it. Meanwhile their kids are following their example and sitting around playing video games while snacking on Oreos.

Me, I'm going to play with my kids every chance I get. It keeps me young. It keeps me balanced. It sets a great example for my kids. It makes for great memories. It's just plain good fun. It reminds me that the whole point to keeping fit and having an active life style is to enjoy it, not to kill yourself over a monster weekend warrior workout that you do for bragging rights and then spend two days on the couch because your body is wrecked. All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy. Of course, all play and no work makes Johnny a slow boy. It's all about balance.

Thursday is the first group road ride of the season. Time to see if I've been putting in quality time during the off season. Time to see if the upgrades on my bike will pay off. Time to have some fun. I'm going to look for some clothes pins and a deck of playing cards now.