Why I Swing

Tonight I took a walk. As many of my walks do, it revolved around finding a swing. I adore swings. They are soothing, familiar, and freeing. So as I sat on the swing this evening I wondered why I swing.

I couldn't manage to swing as high or for as long as I would have liked to today. Dizziness and swinging don't actually go together well - I can now attest. But I swung as long as I could stand. And while I swung I watched my shadow on the grass. I tried to remember why I like to swing.

My shadow brought me back to my childhood days. Shadows are good for memories, I've noticed that before. On the playground I never kept up with other kids. I didn't run as fast. Or play as hard. I wasn't ever good on the monkey-bars and the thrill of a slide wore off too quick. I think I like to swing best because it was something I could do. Something I didn't have to work at that brought lasting pleasure.

I swing because it gives me a sense of confidence. I remembered when I needed to be pushed. I remembered when I could do it myself. I remember then, just wanting to be pushed; to know someone else was there to help for fun. But I liked knowing I didn't need it. A swing is a place of fun and interdependence. On physics and myself...and a partner if one's along for pushing. But I like to swing because while I'm swinging none of this matters.

Maybe when I was little I thought swinging would get me closer to heaven. While I don't remember having that thought as a child, it would be logical and I was always a very logical child. Clearly my adult logic tells me heaven cannot be accessed through the clouds, like I used to think it could; but today swinging helps me feel closer to God.