Senior Games

It isn’t exciting any more. Some people worry more than others.

My cousin Waymond grew up across the highway from Taylor’s Ridge but never walked the curving paved road to the top.

A few miles south the popular Pinhoti Trail accommodates hikers of various abilities.

I walked far enough down the trail to know I wasn’t prepared for it and went back to the truck.

I suggested to Waymond that we take a walk down the Pinhoti. He responded that it would be “daresome” and “something might happen.”

He came by his cautious nature honestly.

There are many reasons why seniors draw back from the edge.

The first is that by the time we hit senior status we’ve seen a lot of things happen.

While walking to the mail box, I thought about how much fun it was to be a kid.

I think more seniors should be jumping off the high diving board. They are in the deep end, and as long as you land sort of perpendicular, it doesn’t hurt much.

The worst part was the climb to the top and the view from up there. Take your pick on which was worse, but maybe there could be a middle board for seniors.

Playing Tag involved trying to run a slower kid down so you could tag them to take your place. A slow motion game of tag could work for seniors.

Magnolia trees are easily climbed. Limbs sprout on opposite sides of the trunk sort of like steps.

I think senior centers should have more climbing trees.

I’ve heard that you never forget how to ride a bike, and if true, why don’t seniors ride bikes?

There are paved trails on old railroad beds that are miles long. I’ve heard of people riding bikes all the way to Alabama. Some do it on skates.

If the two-wheeler is too much, there is always the trike for adults, bringing to mind that we start on a trike and circle back to one.

I think seniors would benefit from more time playing in the dirt. Gardening would be good, but so would a fast or slow game of marbles. There is a variety store still selling marbles by the bag.

A game could have some therapeutic value in stretching and flexing trying to get up off the ground.

There used to be a game called “Twister.” It was a lot of fun, and maybe I should revisit that, but there is that getting up from the floor thing again.

There is usually enough wind to fly a kite, and the game of “Corn Hole” shouldn’t require you to toss bags of corn. The game would last longer if you tossed in the corn a kernel at a time.

As a boy I used to swim in lakes and go hand fishing in creeks. I’ve seen enough television to leave those alone now.

Being a Senior doesn’t have to mean you sit still. Move. Move something.

joenphillips@yahoo.com