courageous rope swinging girls

In these early hot summer days many gather at the bank of the Wacissa River to drink in the cool spring water. After an hour or so berrying, it's the perfect place to cool off. Moms spread blankets and picnics in the patches of shade; small children chase minnows in the shallows; the more adventurous children gather on the dock to swing from the rope and then dive, flip or plunge into the river.

Alybug and Em joined the crowd of 12 or so on the dock. One boy swung from the rope and flipped into the water. Another boy caught the rope and followed suit. Then another boy did the same. And again and again this happened with the boys taking turns catching the rope and swinging. The girls watched. Alybug and Em stood on the outside of the group. They walked back to me with sagging shoulders, disappointed. I casually said if they wanted to swing, in this group, they just had to get in there and take their turn.

They walked back and watched a few more minutes. And then, they walked past the bigger than them boy and snagged the rope before him. Oh so quickly, they made a leap together over the water, dropping at different times. I kept watching and when the rope swung back to the dock, one of the girls caught it and swung. And another girl and another girl. I sat on the grass and my heart swelled with pride.