Remember the old taunt from childhood? It went something like this: Bobby and Judy, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Judy with a baby carriage. I don’t know where this taunt originated, but I’m certain I’m not the only one who taunted friends or siblings with that childish mockery. I remember singing those words in typical sing-song fashion whenever one of our inner circle felt the first twitterpations characterized by puppy love.
As a child, I always wondered about that sitting in a tree part. I puzzled over it. From my child’s perspective, I thought perhaps when people are in love, maybe it’s natural or expected for them to climb trees? Perhaps there’s something embarrassing or shameful about expressing their love in any other way? Or, maybe the jingle was just designed for its rhyme. It might have been that simple.
Generally, children climb trees. By the time we’ve reached adulthood, most of us have given up climbing … except for the occasional hike or weekend campout. We might enjoy a climbing wall or rock climbing challenges; many of us climb stairs regularly. But climbing trees is an activity we associate with children. Think with me, for a couple minutes, about an individual known for tree climbing … Continue reading “Tree Sitting”