With my own rake in hand, I listened to the squeals of the neighbor kids across the street having fun in a giant pile of leaves today. Raking the colorful confetti that decorated their front yard, they made a huge pile large enough to jump in. Giggles and laughter filled the air and I couldn’t help but smile.

Throughout the jumping they decided on a perfect game – “let’s pile the leaves on top of one of us and scare mom and dad!” I couldn’t help but chuckle remembering that exact game I played as a kid. I sat down in my own pile of leaves and watched as the big sister piled the leaves high on top of her brother, often telling him to “stay still.”  With the leaves piled high, the girl ran to her mom and beckoned her to come see what they had made. When mom appeared at the pile, out jumped the little one with a ferocious “boo!” The kids laughed and mom couldn’t help but smile too.

The tree in our front yard has almost dropped all of its leaves, signaling yet another change in the seasons. Soon our colorful landscape will all drop, creating more piles of excitement to play in. I don’t think you’re every too old to play in a pile of leaves.