Badges of Honor

Someone once said, ~We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.~ Duck duck goose, hopscotch, double dutch, kickball, as well as, hide and seek were just a handful of supposedly harmless games that we've all played as kids, but as adults it makes you tired just watching it. In any case, when I say harmless I mean that nobody got seriously hurt or died from the childhood games we used to play that brought joy and fun into our lives to where today's generation of anklebiters. Yet, there recently has been some raised eyebrows about the safety of three particular childhood games which are tag, red rover, and the ever popular dodgeball.

Without a doubt, the game of tag has seemingly been around forever and it has essentially evolved into many different types and/or styles of play such as freeze tag. Though suited for younger kids, adults can join in as well but instead of the hot pursuit of one's intended target it becomes more a game of stealth that involves surprise attacks as closed fists are used to hit the arms and/or chest, which is a game that can last days, months, or even years with a friend or group of friends. Anyways, it's this particular fun and yet controversial activity that has been banned in Spokane Washington Elementary School by their principal because of pushing and shoving that could cause serious injuries, which is absolutely ridiculous in my book.

As a kid, you wouldn't really ever consider Red Rover a violent game because it was all about strategy. Figuring out whether to call out the supposedly strongest or weakest kid on the other side and preparing to either hopefully add on or lose a teammate. However, as you played the game you found that while you were trying to capture or take away a potential teammate there was a tendency to possibly have injured arms/separated shoulders capturing that child or suffer whiplash/concussion after being clotheslined to the ground. Let me tell you something, as funny as it looks and sounds from an observer's standpoint is much different than actually experiencing it firsthand, which is not considered funny at all.

When it comes to the game of dodgeball, it takes speed, agility, quickness, endurance, and also sound strategy to be either the last team or person standing to win. BUT in this game winning takes a back seat to surviving as it's ever boy/girl for one's self to try to avoid being hit at all cost. Unfortunately, it's in this particular warzone type game injuries are suffered such as being hit in the face or below the belt and any guy can tell you from experience that it doesn't feel good when it happens at the same time. For the question can be asked though, were you the type of kid back then who enjoyed it when other kids were hit in those two areas and if so, all I have to say to is you're one sick and twisted individual.

In retrospect, looking back at the childhood games we all played back then one tends to be amazed that we're still standing or still alive for that matter. It's hard to imagine trying to play those particular games again with all the aches and pain each of us now suffer as grown adults. You have to admit, as little kids we took a lickin' and kept on tickin’ because quite frankly the bumps. bruises, scrapes, bloody noses, and breaks toughened us up. It would probably be safe to say that some, most, or all of us have shown off one's proverbial battle scars to other people as well as told the story of how you received it/them. In the end, it's those battle scars that when you look back on them they're considered to be, in our minds, badges of honor.