Jumpin'

Yesterday was Kenzie's birthday party in the park. The first step in getting the park space was to reserve the Ramada through City Parks and Recreation.

After paying the very reasonable fee by credit card they asked me if I would be needing a list of vendors who provided Jumping Castles. I told the clerk to go ahead and send it, but I dismissed it in my mind. I had never been up close and personal with a Jumping Castle. I didn't get what they were all about. My preconceived idea was that of a smelly, dusty, germ-ridden enclosed rubber space that was dangerous.

"Should we get a Jumping Castle?" I asked my daughter.

"Yea, why not?"

I called the first vendor on the list and chose the Dream Castle, the closet match to Hannah Montana. It was eighty dollars for the day, delivery, set up and pick up.

When I arrived to the party, there it was in all its splendor. If anything, it was adding dreamy color and decoration to the setting. What I did not anticipate was the absolute wonderful time the children were going to have JUMPING.

Jumping. Just plain old jumping. Up and down. Up and down. Jumping just for the joy of jumping. Not to exercise, burn calories or show off, but just to jump! A few times I heard---

Watch how high I can go. I can touch the ceiling. Look at me.

These feats were intrinsically motivated; I jump to feel the body jump!

The children were between the ages of three and eight. What I found to be miraculous was the space between the jumpers. It seemed to remain equidistant, invisible boundaries. There has to be a Physics principal that describes this phenomenon. The motion at times became rhythmic, the dance of the jumping beans. On up one down, two up, two down.

Outside the castle the shoes piled. Inside the feet flew and soared.

The beat of the party went this way.... balloons from the clown, jumping castle, face painting, jumping castle, pizza, jumping castle, presents opening, jumping castle, cake, jumping castle.

Hugs good-bye. One more jump in the jumping castle!

This morning I'm getting on my mini tramp to rediscover jumping--- just to jump (I'll take the calorie burn though, I ate a big piece of Hannah cake)