More swing, more wing

When was the last time you were on a swing? Do you even remember? And I’m not talking about a dinky little glide to help pass the time while your kids were playing. I’m talking about real, momentous swinging. 

There’s a park right down the street from my childhood home and it has – hands down – the greatest swing set around. It’s big. Like, really big. The chain links tower on, for what seems like forever, and the seats are these wonderfully wide and thick pieces of rectangular wood. 

The view? Spectacular. They are right down by the boardwalk, along the beach, overlooking the lake. The sound? Magnificent. The wind is usually boisterous and the waves are crashing. These particularly fine points are the perfect recipe for your imagination to suddenly dance you right into another world, and location aside, I think that’s exactly what the act of swinging does. 

There’s a taste of liberation and freedom when you feel your body coast through the air. There’s an excitement and oddly enough, a sense of groundedness – is that a word? – when you get that magical floaty feeling in your tummy. And there’s an instant gratification when you work and push harder, to propel yourself further, and you just keep feeling better and better. 

And when you get tired, the come down is somehow just as grand. You let your body relax and almost fold in on itself. You sink into the motion and let your previous efforts take over. And the best part? Letting your feet gently skim and catch pieces of the ground, as you dangle in pure contentment and slowly wait for the ride to stop. 

I think there’s a reason why we only take little glides here and there, and why we have trouble committing and giving it our all. The ups and downs of life are a bit trickier. It’s harder to coast and it’s much harder to continually push ourselves further. The come downs can vary but they often happen more abruptly and aren’t near as gentle.

I also don’t even see these types of swings that often – they are definitely hard to find. Why is that? And sadly, it’s been a while since I have been swept off into another world – that seems like something I should definitely prioritize. So, I don’t know, I think we need more swings in our lives – I know I do. 

Sincerely, 

More swing, more wing