Recreation

By

Patricia Shannon

Sandals on the beach, shells in the sand, a canoe in the distance and a surfer nearby.

The sky is clear, the sun radiates light and warmth.

The crimson flowers of the Pohutukawa trees are a sharp contrast against the bright blue of the heavens. 
What a splendid Summer's day!

Sand castles are rising up from below, beach towels add colour, as well as bathing suits, beach balls, buckets and more.

Sheep are watching from beyond. “How funny people are,” they might think.

It's a funny phenomena, recreation. Nothing to do with the other re-creation, spelled with a hyphen, between the e and the c. Or has it? Are we trying to re-create our Neanderthal past somehow?

No office, no car, no modern technology. Simply the basics, man and nature, conquering the swells of the ocean, catching food. Using the basic elements to create some sort of ancient lifestyle.

No-nonsense, simple, basal.

Suddenly reality butts in. The sound of a speedboat, a water scooter racing by with high-speed. There's shouting, laughing. What happened?

I woke up, that's what happened! As red as a lobster, hurting all over. A rude awakening from a pre-historic dream.

Why didn't I live half a million years ago? That period would have been ideal for someone like me. Born free, worry free. Just being and surviving, going with the flow. Or am I aggrandizing the past? Who's to know, who's to tell?

Science has come a long way, but some things are still unknown. So I just have to do with what I've got and make the best of it. Use my imagination when I'm going somewhere for recreation.

Recreate magical moments in my mind or perhaps re-create the whole essence of recreation.

Oh, how I love summertime!

The End