Summer Sound

What’s with all the screaming at the pool?

Have you noticed that as soon as most kids and some adults who will never admit it jump into a pool, they lose their vocal inhibitions and scream, scream, scream? It doesn’t matter if it’s a community pool or a backyard inflatable; screams of fun seem to come pouring out. High-pitched, long and extended, harmonious, they all delight in the moment their feet touch the water.

There’s something about water that brings out the inner exuberance in all of us. Sure, most of the time it's because we’re getting splashed, launched into the air, and splashing down like a hippo doing a cannonball, being chased, or just engaging in general horseplay, but boy, it's loud and seemingly never-ending. I consider this one of the wonderful sounds of summer.

I can't help but wonder why the pool brings out those joyful screams of fun. You can hear the shouts at the beach, but since it’s so open, they often go unnoticed. In contrast, at the neighborhood pool, these uninhibited bursts of noise are amplified. Some people find these screams annoying, while others smile and feel a sense of contentment that everything is right with life when they experience the exuberant vocals. To most, it’s summer fun, after all.

There is magic in being in the water; it’s almost like it has a special formula for fun embodied in it that brings out the deepest smile from within you! It’s as if water gives you permission to laugh out loud and encourages you, through some mystical power, to bring that laughter to a whole new level. Think about that. Have you ever really been unhappy in water?

I can’t think of many experiences that provide the opportunity to scream your lungs out! I’m not talking about scary things; I’m talking about fun things. If only there were products that provided that same permission to blurt out in wild abandon. They may be out there, but you think twice before irritating your friends and family.

Wouldn’t it be great to harness those screams of pure fun, much like Monsters Inc. captured scary screams to power the city? Or better yet, capture those joyful sounds, and when things are at a low point and you’re feeling down, open up a can of scream. I guarantee it will bring you back to memories of pure fun. Maybe market a new drink called ScreamWater, giving you permission to relive those most unabashed moments. Hey, there’s a market for anything. And it’s water!

I suppose the point here is that we need to remember it’s okay not to be so serious all the time. Kids certainly get that, and adults need to loosen up a bit. Learn from your past when you first jumped into the pool.

With that, I’m wishing you a great summer. I’m going to jump in the pool now.