This past weekend, Robert and I decided to go kayaking at North Park Lake. Robert had never been kayaking before. And it has been at least 10 years since I tried it.

Kayaking is a popular summer sport here in Southwestern PA. People kayak on the rivers as well as on the local lakes. When we drove around the lake to get to the Boathouse, we saw the lake dotted with bright orange and yellow kayaks, along with a few yellow peddle boats and even a rowboat or two mingling in with the kayaks. We also noticed the abundance of paddle boarders on the lake.

Yesterday was a perfect day to kayak. The sky was clear with just some wispy clouds on a blue background. The sun was out. The temperature hovered right around eighty degrees. The water was calm, with no wind to ripple the surface.

When we arrived, we had to make a choice of what type of boat we wanted to rent. We decided on a tandem kayak and we signed our waivers at the desk so we could head outside. First up, Robert and I got in line and quickly received our red flotation devices, which we put on to ensure a good fit. The next stop was to get our paddles and a quick lesson in how to use them. Then it was down to the ramp where we were put into a tandem kayak. When we asked who should sit where, we were told the back does the most work. Robert quickly climbed in back and I climbed in the front.

I was happy to see that I could stretch my legs out in front of me. We were given a shove backwards and we were in the water. We got our kayak turned around and headed out onto the lake. Although our rowing was not perfectly synchronized, we managed to row around the lake and steer the kayak where we wanted it to go.

There was a calm came over us as we paddled around, letting the kayak drift from time to time and just enjoying the day. Our stress of everyday worries melted away as our skin absorbed the sun’s warm rays. Drops of water splashed our skin and clothes as we paddled, but we didn’t care because it cooled us down as the wetness evaporated in the sun. We watched as a kayak went past with a cute brown dog hanging out in the kayak with it’s owner. We observed a paddleboard class in the middle of the lake. People were fishing from the shore as well as from kayaks. It seemed as if everyone had flocked to the water for this first warm, sunny Sunday of summer.

We spent a leisurely hour on the lake. We came away renewed and refreshed for the week ahead of us. Just like children, we sometimes need to play to balance out our lives. We get so caught up in the day to day worries, chores, and work that we forget how to enjoy ourselves. I think we’ll be making more time for play.