Saturday, August 15, 2009

A rare sight ...children playing outside on a swing!

It was encouraging to see the children outside...away from the video games. This was taken just a couple of days ago and the laughter breaking the silence of the park was refreshing. It may have been the lure of a perfect tree and perfect swing that drew the children. It was also the last week of Summer vacation, knowing that this time next week...they would be back in school.

Whatever the reason, the interaction of the boy and girl reminded me of my childhood and those days when...not even knowing why but...I began to notice that there was indeed another species of the human race called a "girl"...and she wasn't that bad to hang with!

The huge sprawling tree, the affection shown...reminded me of a very touching scene...I think it may have been the first episode of one of my most favorite TV shows...The Wonder Years. The episode played out and we found that Winnie's brother had just died in Vietnam. The show ended with the two of them, very young and innocent sitting next to each other under a huge tree that seemed to take them under it's wing. In a clumsy effort to comfort Winnie, Kevin leaned and kissed Winnie on the cheek. The scene faded to black with the song "When a man loves a woman" by Percy Sledge...contrasting the young lovers with what the future held for them. For me, that image still resonates and is the epitome of young innocent love struggling to cope with the onset of the complicated, unsure complexities of adolescence. Those memories are often...so bittersweet.

12 comments:

DawnTreader said...

Oh, I like how you have captured this. Both picture and words. :)

DawnTreader said...

Dan, your pictures have a way of lingering in my mind and popping up again long after I turned off the computer. Actually this one like the last one brought to mind a scene from one of the Harry Potter books. "He fell headlong into sunlight, and his feet found warm ground. When he straightened up, he saw that he was in a nearly deserted playground. --- Two girls were swinging backwards and forwards, and a skinny boy was watching them from behind a clump of bushes." / Since you haven't read the book, I'll not explain the context, just leave it as another "teaser" ;)

Heather said...

This is art, Dan - as is most of your wonderful photos!!

I've been stopping in with every new post, but just run out of actual time for commenting. I could not drift by your updates without checking in on you, you know.

School starts up in another two weeks for us, I will be hearing much more and much less of the laughter. More..because I drive the bus. Less..because all three boys will be in school. Bittersweet :)

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Dawn Treader...did you follow Wonder Years over there?

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Dawn Treader...2 questions...which book was this and do you have to start with book one to read Harry Potter?

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Heather...I know...this seems to be a very busy time for all of us right now. I like your dual outlook on the laughter...and it would be bittersweet!

Dan

DawnTreader said...

Dan, about Wonder Years: At first the title didn't sound familiar to me, but looking it up on IMDb now, I realize I have seen it, at least some of the earlier episodes. IMDb also tells me they started sending it here just a few months after the release in the US (1988). But I think I probably saw it in some later rerun. Not sure, though. The years tend to go by faster and faster...!

DawnTreader said...

Dan, about Harry Potter: I'm afraid that quote is from the last book - HP & The Deathly Hallows - that's why I cut it very short.

And yes, with Harry you really should start from the beginning, i.e. with The Philosopher's Stone (or Sorcerer's Stone in the US version), because with each book, more is revealed, and in each new book, things you already know from the earlier books are picked up and seen in new light. The reader's knowledge and understanding very much grows with Harry (who is 11 in the first book and 17 in the last). It's really all one story throughout all seven books rather than a separate adventure in each book.

In the sidebar of my blog you'll find links to my Harry Potter blog *Through My Spectrespecs* and also direct links to a few "spoiler free introduction posts" - if you would like to find out more about my personal fascination with the series... ;)

Dan Felstead said...

Dawn Treader...the time goes faster and faster...I think that may be why they called our early years the "Wonder" years...time seemed to go on forever.

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Dawn Treader...I will check out the info.

Dan

septembermom said...

I remember that episode of The Wonder Years. That show communicated so much about the torment and excitement of adolescence. I second Heather, this photo is art! Awesome, Dan :)

Dan Felstead said...

Septembermom...
Kevin was my generation or real close to it...It think that is why I loved that show so much.

Thanks for the kind words.

Dan