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Childhood

June 5, 2014

By Tineke Ziemer

June 6^th, 2014

Oh the days of innocent perfection: memories of sun-kissed cheeks, barefoot wonder, the shift in temperature as we flitted from sunlight to shadows in the forest. Every day was an adventure.

My brothers and I had a marvelous childhood. I, naturally, was the bossy older sister with grandiose plans for every afternoon. (Unfortunately, they did wear dresses at my command on more than one occasion.) But mostly we were brave hunters tracking bears and shooting our bows, adventurous explorers discovering every type of mom-feared reptile possible in the pond, or fierce cowboys and Indians battling in the trees. Flawless memories.

Of course, there were the times of mishap, most always somehow befalling my brother Matthew. Whether it was forty bee stings, caterpillar induced rashes or attacks from the neighbour’s dogs… I was always there to bear witness as Matthew fell victim yet again. (At least I could run for help!) I suppose that was God’s way of preparing him for a future career battling all kinds of trouble as an RCMP officer.

While we loved each other, and still do unconditionally, there were times that we tried to beat the snot out of each other. In particular, my youngest brother, David, made it his mission in life to see how far he could push us before we’d pound him. That worked great until he got bigger than me, but remarkably, that was about the time he traded taunts for compliments and teasing for tears that spoke of how much he missed me when I
moved away for college.

Growing up did not change the way I love those boys. My heart pounds just as fiercely with protective pride and sisterly adoration for the men they are today.

Thought for the Day

As I watch my children play, I am taken back to wonderful memories of my own childhood. I see how those very feats of imagination and discovery shaped me and made me who I am today. I’m thankful that we were outside until sundown and spent most of our days with our feet in the creek, our backsides on sandy beaches and our hands sunk deep in the beauty of a world of constant adventure. I want this for my own children too!