king of the hill

you know that part in Dumb and Dumber when Harry and Mary have a snowball fight? Mary starts off all gentle and playful - Harry, on the other hand, is serious. he pummels her with a rock solid hit, tackles her and smothers her face in the snow. but if i remember correctly, they both end up having fun with it.

that is exactly how i felt this weekend. i was Mary, except i ended up smothered in dry grass.

it is sunday. we are having a cookie party at our house for the neighborhood kids and end up playing out on the steep hill in the front yard. the kids decide to play king of the hill. i do not know what this means, but i decide i should be a grown up and maintain my composure by supervising.

i begin to scale the slope like a good adult. before i know it, though, my legs are suddenly pulled out from under me by one of the kids and i am yanked on my belly all the way down the hill like a little toddler!

i am shocked. i feel betrayed and, for a moment, annoyed.

but then i hear a chorus of ecstatic laughter, and i find that my own voice is joining in. when did i decide that avoiding grass stains and maintaining a facade of maturity were more valuable than experiencing the joy of simple fun?

after that, my housemate Katrine (to the right) joined in, and it was on. kids went flying down the hill, and us along with them.

it's amazing to me how genuine connections can be made with people you hardly know, who may not be even remotely at the same place in life as you. it seems to me that these connections only happen when you've truly entered into an experience with people - whether that experience is painful, rewarding, deeply emotional or simply playful. like snowball fights and grassy knees. it's a beautiful thing.