The Chase is On

It was a glorious Thanksgiving Day; unusually warm, we can even call it hot. I took the opportunity to tackle a garden project I would normally have just left until spring, and was out in the yard enjoying the weather, happily puttering.

Two doors down, wearing shorts and tees that would normally have already been resigned to winter storage, two teen girls and a guy took advantage of the sunshine and warmth to wash the family's vehicles in the driveway. There was of course a spray hose involved, and pails and sponges . Inevitably, with happy squeals and giggles, a few water skirmishes broke out.

Then I heard a voice from the garage, where mom was working."Have you guys stopped being productive out there?"

I shuddered, and stopped dead in my tracks.

I am not even quite sure why this struck me as awful at all.Perhaps it was just the word "productive", lumped in my mind with the others that rule my world these days; "goals" and "expectations", that seems to have lost their companions - "achievable" and "reasonable".

Perhaps it was a flashback to times with my own kids at that age and stage, where non productivity made for the happiest and most wonderful of memories. Either way, it left me sad for the family's loss. For the loss of the exuberance of youth, the stifling of impulsive fun; for the loss of a future happy memory.

I just saw a billboard. The caption read "Chase unproductive moments". I am not sure why we now are required to chase what used to come so naturally, but I am sitting up and taking notice. You may want to as well.