How come children love running through sprinklers, but as adults we avoid them?

This was the question Tim presented me with the other day. We had a discussion about why, as adults, we don't enjoy running through sprinklers. What changes? As children, many of us went out of our way to run through a sprinkler. We loved getting wet. Now we avoid them.

We talked about how, if we're on our way to work or to go out, getting wet after we spent all that time getting ready isn't exactly keen. I did admit, however, that if I were on my way home from somewhere, and it was hot out, and I wasn't wearing really nice clothing like a suit, I might go out of my way to have some fun in a sprinkler.

I thought about this last night as I left the gym in a downpour without an umbrella. The gym is about 2 blocks from my apartment, so I knew I was going to get wet. There was no point in running. I was going to get soaked. As I walked out the door I thought about how fun sprinklers were as a kid, and how also as a child I didn't mind getting wet in the rain (something else that has changed as I age). I was going to get wet, so I may as well try to enjoy it.

It was like a roller coaster. I would enjoy it for a few seconds, and then the wind would blow my shirt into my body, and I would shiver. It was cold! As my hair got wet water mixed with hairspray dripped into my eyes. Ouch! I had to rub my eyes in order to see. I was really glad that no one was in the lobby when I got there as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and saw that I looked like a raccoon. I guess my mascara wasn't waterproof.

Hair spray. Mascara. The things that keep getting wet in the rain from being fun as an adult. I made a vow that the next time I'm just sitting in the house on a hot day when another downpour starts that I'm going to take off my eye makeup, pull back my hair, and go outside and twirl in the rain.

On the third we went to my dad's house to see the small independence day parade that the tiny suburb I grew up in puts on. It wasn't bad. Very small town America. It was cute. It was fun to watch the little kids run to get the candy that the people in the parade threw to them. It was interesting to see all the people I knew growing up. I saw a couple of guys I went to elementary school with. They looked quite different after 15 years, but I recognized them right away. I didn't talk to them. I wonder what they are doing now. I'm sort of a snob in the sense that I figure that for the kids in my generation success is being able to move out of Lyons to somewhere better (though I as age I realize that Lyons isn't as bad as I thought it was growing up). Seeing people I grew up with at the Lyons independence day parade makes me wonder what they are still doing there. Of course, I was there, so what does that say about me? I moved out. How do I know that they didn't too, and were just back for the holiday weekend? I guess I don't. And I also feel bad about thinking that, knowing that there are plenty of successful people who live in Lyons. But in general, if you become successful, you move out. Maybe only to a slightly better suburb nearby like Brookfield or LaGrange, but usually not Lyons. At least that is what I have noticed. Given that I haven't lived in Lyons since 1997 and don't really hang out with anyone there, what the hell do I know?