When I was younger 

I played baseball 

I wasn’t any good 

But I played 

The first time I had sunflower seeds 

I didn’t know you were meant to spit the shells 

(That’s the fun of sunflower seeds. Spit on the ground, spit in a cup, spit on your enemies) 

I said, well, they’re ok, kinda crunchy though and scratch your throat. 

Because that’s how smart I was. Genius. 

I think of this every time I see canned food with a tab saying  “pull tab” 

My younger self would have needed that. I know this, because I tried stabbing it to death with a knife. I only almost cut myself 18 out of 20 times. Yes, we had can openers but I wanted to be like a pioneer. 

Sometimes I wonder what kids do these days 

I climbed trees and fell out of them 

Breaking limbs on the way down and mistaking them for broken ribs

I ran home and yelled, out of breath,  I’ve broke a rib!! I felt it! And heard it snap! Oh no I’m gonna die I just know it! 

This of course was just not true 

You can’t run like that with a broke rib.  You can if someone is serving ribs…

I wonder what kids do these days?

Snap chat 

Fb 

Video games 

iPhones 

And YouTube?

Does anyone run down the aisles on those stools with wheels at the library anymore?

Or wait at the grocery store for the rain machine to come on with thunder over the fresh greens? While pulling all of the coupons from the coupon machine and trying to make purchases with them like they were grocery store dollars. 

“Yes ma’am I believe these should cover it.” 

Or attempt to checkout the entire set of Nancy Drew at the library? (They won’t let you do that by the way. Five maybe, not 56.) 

You have to have these experiences as a child. You have to be able to ask your Librarian for help finding The X Files Book and Scary Stories To Read In The Dark with all of your Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys. Because the  Dewey Decimal System and filing cabinets were cool but intimidating. 

Now, I don’t know, even if I google it wrong or sideways it finds what I’m looking for. 

And it’s all so fast 

And yet so far away. 

I’m thankful for those librarians 

And for those books 

Who help curious over dramatic children find what they are looking for and recommend books that they don’t know they will love.