Spontaneous Days of Joy, or Something Like That

Recently, I got what I like to call ‘kid-sick’ from my job — you know, when you work with kids so much that their germs become your constant companions. I had to call out the day before a shift because I felt miserable. But after a solid 13 hours of sleep, I felt way better — only problem was, my shift was already halfway over, leaving me with an unexpected free day. So, naturally, I decided to bother my twin brother.

After rushing him to get dressed and shoving him in the car, we set off, with him driving and me deciding our first destination: Daiso.

For anyone who doesn’t know, Daiso is an amazing store packed with imported goods from Japan — perfect for a Japanese culture and fashion lover like me. We wandered the aisles, picking up trinkets that matched our styles. The pre-teens there even complimented our outfits, which made the trip feel extra special.

Soon enough, I was getting hungry, so we planned to stop at McDonald’s nearby — but then we spotted our favorite store in the whole world: Goodwill. Instead of grabbing food first, we detoured (despite my bank account audibly begging for mercy).

After 45 minutes of scrounging the aisles (which, to be real, is a very short Goodwill visit for me — I usually spend like four hours looking at every item), hunger finally got the better of me, and we went to get food. The Goodwill cashier called us ‘such fun kids’ and said my 60’s style picks were ‘perfect,’ which had me grinning all the way to the drive-thru.

While eating, I searched for our next destination — and for some strange reason, I felt an urge to go to a roller rink.

My brother enthusiastically agreed, and as the sky turned orange, we set off to find one.

We arrived right as it opened at 5:30 PM, and it just so happened to be a ‘Harry Potter Anniversary Night,’ complete with kids zooming by in Gryffindor robes as the Great Hall theme played over the speakers.

Despite being completely unprepared costume-wise, we had a blast, spending over two and a half hours rolling around and playing DJ-set games. At one point, I fell and said, ‘GIRL MY WIG FELL OFF!’ (I was wearing a pink and black wig to match the Japanese fashion look I’d chosen for the day.) The roller rink worker laughed so hard, he helped me up while throwing his head back in amusement.

By the end, I was exhausted and still had work the next day, so we called it a night and drove the hour or so home. During the drive, my twin said, ‘This was so fun — we need to go on more playdates.’

At the use of the rather childish term, I laughed a little… then I really considered it.

See, I work with kids and teens, and lately, I’ve been joking with my similarly aged customers that they ‘need joy and whimsy in their life.’ I say it like twice a day. And sitting in the car, I realized I’m a complete jerk for not taking my own advice.

The real lesson from that day wasn’t just the thrift finds, the roller rink spins, or even the silly wig mishap (though that definitely deserves a highlight). It was about the community — the people who made the day truly memorable. The pre-teens, the cashier, the roller rink worker who laughed with me and made me smile. 

Sometimes, it’s easy to feel like wanting fun and whimsy means being childish or immature, but I’ve realized it’s not- it’s human. It’s vital. And honestly, it’s the people, the connections, the shared moments that make those whimsical activities truly joyful.

So yeah, maybe I’m a little childish sometimes, but if that means filling my life with moments like these, I’m all in.