“We are always hungry for more.”
The school year is over for everyone now, and summer is here! This is such a happy time for kids and parents alike. I grew up in the 1980s, and I remember that this time of year as a kid was so exciting! For almost three months, we knew that we would have fun with our friends every day and not have to worry about school.
Day after day, we played sports, went for bike rides, walked to the local gas station for candy, ran back and forth through a lawn sprinkler, or went swimming. We would go home for lunch or to drink some water, but then we would hurry right back out. We would sometimes scrape our knees or elbows, and we would get a Band-Aid and go right back to what we were doing. We didn’t want to miss one extra minute of fun. We were always hungry for more.
If you know anyone who grew up in the 80s or earlier like me, I am sure you have probably heard us say one of these lines. “When the street lights came on, that was when we had to go home” or “We used to drink from the hose when I was a kid.”
Although you may have heard these things before, maybe you’ve never stopped to realize why. It was because we loved being outside and spending time with friends so much that we made sure we spent every minute we could doing so. Playing until the street lights came on or drinking from the hose outside meant precious extra minutes doing what we loved.
Of course, it was a different time. There was no internet, smartphones, or video games. Also, there were no organized sports in the summer, and nobody was getting private coaching for soccer or hockey or anything like that. All we kids had was the outdoors and each other.
We forged relationships with all the neighborhood kids. We got creative and found new fun things to do every day. It was always fun, and we always had the energy to keep going. Our parents allowed us to have that time. We learned social skills and conflict resolution, and we built our self-confidence.
This time of year always brings back those memories, but it also allows me to realize something. TLC gives me and so many others the same excitement that I had when I was a kid. We enjoy our time here with our TLC friends, and we constantly look to do it as much as possible. We make memories, we make a difference, and we have fun.
Many times, you will find some of us staying here until after the sun goes down, sort of like the street lights thing. If we have an appointment or we need to eat lunch, many of us hurry back, sort of like the hose thing.
Seasons change, and the years go by, but one thing stays the same. When you love what you are doing, you are always hungry for more. Here at TLC, we have exactly that, and it’s time for you to see it and participate in it! Don’t be shy! You will forge relationships and have fun, just like we did in the summer of 1985.
The summer of 2023 is a little different than 1985, but maybe not here at TLC. My TLC day is coming to an end as I write the last sentences of this message, and I can’t wait to get up and do it all again. I am always hungry for more!
Thank you for reading and reminiscing with me this week. God bless you and have an amazing week.
