A big reason I decided to do this shoulder surgery has nothing to do with bike racing. It was that there are a lot of things to do in life that are impossible to do if you can’t lift your right arm above your shoulder. One of those is climbing trees.
The last time I saw anyone in a tree is three or four years ago in Lake Geneva, Wis., during Tour of America’s Dairyland. The kid looked just like me and my friends did when we were young. Skinny, as in concentration camp shinny, a little sunburned and barefoot.
I can’t decide why kids aren’t in trees now. They must have the same inquisitive nature and want to get up in them. I think it must be the parents that have decided that it is too dangerous. Maybe their parents didn’t climb trees?
I can’t say I’ve know anyone that has died from climbing trees. I’m not saying it can’t be dangerous. I fell out of trees multiple times. I’ve actually had organs removed because of it. And broken bones. But, I was the exception in my area. I can’t remember anyone else in my block every getting hurt falling out of a tree. Not hurt enough to go to the emergency room. And all of us climbed trees everyday pretty much.
This climbing tree thing is reflective in a lot of things our society has deemed unacceptable for our kids. Playing outside is nearly in that category now. It is some places. This generation of parents seem to think that our children are in more danger than the previous generation of parents. At least they are more attentive, which translates into more restrictive. I couldn’t tell you if that works. To me, as an outside observer, it seems like the kids are getting much less “kid experience”. Here is an article addressing our children not doing things.
Our adults are blaming video games, computers and fast food as the reasons that our children are fat. Maybe we should blame ourselved, the adults, for being so overly protective and selfish, that we don’t allow our children to learn about what is right and wrong, unmonitored by us, the adults. Some of the most important things that I learned didn’t come from an adult lecturing me about it. I learned it by personal experience, by myself or with a bunch of friends.
Maybe I’m just getting old, but on Easter Sunday, it was a delight seeing families outside, having picnics and playing outside games. It was probably more because it was close to 70 degrees, than because it was Easter, but whatever the reason, it was nice seeing people outside doing stuff. I hate to think that we need a religious holiday to encourage us all to do what we should be doing on our own.
Anyway, I plan to climb more trees this year when my shoulder get better. Barefoot.
