Clarity Moment — It Sounded Like a Good Idea!!!

I was a little older, but not much. I told you about my cousins — and let's not forget Kathi, my sister, my older sister (had to get that in). Well, we were always up to something.

Like cutting vines next to the creek and playing Tarzan by swinging across it — usually falling in the creek (me) — and explaining to Mom how it was my idea, that they didn't want to do it, but "you know how he is." Or getting big cardboard boxes, cutting them in half, and sliding down the big hill on the tall pasture grass, flattening it right before Grandpa and Dad were getting ready to mow it for hay. Also my idea. See the pattern.

Well, this is the story of the time we — did I mention I was the youngest? — decided we were gonna build a treehouse.

So we were trying to find the right tree, because that's the most important thing about building a treehouse. We finally decided on the biggest tree on top of the big hill. The only problem was the first limb on this tree was at least 15 feet off the ground, and that created a problem. We knew we could use our dad's ladders to build the treehouse, but they were not gonna let us keep them as a way to get in. But we came up with a foolproof plan — and that gave us another idea.

Why build a treehouse when we can build a CLUBHOUSE?!

Right next to this big tree with no lower limbs was another tree with limbs right next to the ground. Now there were two limbs — one from each tree — and they laid close to each other. This could be the way we determined who could be in our club! To join, you would have to climb the smaller tree until you reached the first limb on the bigger tree, then climb out on that limb, transfer over to the other limb, and climb it back to the big tree.

Yep, that was a great idea!! Anyone who couldn't do that couldn't be in our club.

Now, in your life there are gonna be times when you realize you've gone a little too far — like leaning back in a chair and realizing you've passed that point of no return, or throwing a rock across the road and just as you let it go, Dad drives around the corner.

Well, I climbed the small tree, reached the right limb, climbed out on that limb, reached out, grabbed the limb from the big tree — and right when my foot left the first limb, I had that feeling.

Laying on my back 15 feet below the others, looking up at them, I had that Clarity Moment when I realized — ALL the kids in our area (we live way out in the country) that would even know, let alone want to be in our club, were already up there looking down at me.

Well, like they say now — it looked good on paper!

Dad said we could keep one of his ladders. He also said, "What were y'all thinking?"

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to check out our store — it doesn't cost anything to look. Thanks again and God Bless.

— Big PaPaw