Did you ever play basketball?  I did, about a million years ago in junior high and high school (which tells you how old I am, because whoever came up with ‘middle school’?)  Today I got to play again.   I was blessed with the presence of my seven year old grandson who absolutely loves sports and basketball in particular.  The weather is cool but clear so off to the school playground we went.  We found a basketball just lying in the grass waiting for us.

“Gram! Look!  There’s a basketball!  Can I…..?”  Of course you can.  He runs to pick it up, eyes dancing, as he asks if he can go over to the court and play.  Certainly.  Then he wants to know if I will come watch him play.  Naturally. . .that’s what gram’s are for!  But when we get the court he looks up at me with those beautiful blue eyes and hesitantly asks “Wanna play with me?”  How could I refuse such a sweet face!

It has been many, MANY years but the rules of the game came back to me quickly.  We modified them a little – after all, I’m almost two feet taller than he is and he is faster than I am (and oh, so much younger!).  Soon we were dribbling (which he does better than I) and shooting baskets, chasing foul balls and laughing in the sunshine.  A school grounds worker wandered by and my grandson shouted out “Wanna play?”, all hesitation gone from his voice in the sheer joy of playing a game he loved.  At one point he taunted me with “Just try and get it, old lady.”  🙂  The game is over – it ended in a tie!  I played pretty well for an ‘old lady’ who hasn’t moved like that in quite some time.  We have had lunch and now we are both engrossed in our separate interests but the pleasure of our morning together is still a glow in my heart.

I am dwelling in the peace that comes from being loved and loving one unconditionally.  It is not unlike the peace I experience daily as I walk with the Lord, and I can’t help but smile.  How often I have asked the Lord “Can I?” and had Him say yes!  So many times I’ve asked the Holy Spirit to accompany me on my treasure hunts and He willing comes along.  But it was only recently that I thought to ask the Lord to come out and play with me, and oh, what a time we had!

Today I played like a child and I felt like a child.  Is it really so simple?