Live, laugh, work, and learn - like children.Small kids could teach us a bit about living and enjoying each day to the fullest, if we have forgotten how.
Children know how to apply determination to do what they want to do. Watch a baby learn to walk. And children know how to laugh and have fun, when some of us have lost much of humor over the past decade or more.
For so many, living on a merry-go-round of doing things that must be done, as well as doing things which do not need to be done, has not left much time for the simple pleasures of life.
Many of us have forgotten how to take a real break, to rest and refresh our thoughts and to have a bit of fun, even though it's so very important. Our daily life includes responsibilities concerning work, family, other people, and dealing with various problems. To have a fulfilling day in the process try to not take on too many different things. Review regularly your lifestyle, pleasures, principles, conduct and goals, because it is so easy to go off track.
We are what we think according to Buddha so we ought to think happiness as we start each day. We can reflect about things that can improve our feelings like pleasant and relaxing experiences and words. Memories and incidents can bring a smile and a positive change of thought, if we will take the time.
Some remembrances of how kids see things differently just make me feel good.
Salesmanship
We were eating dinner a long while back when our kids' 4 yr old friend from across the backyard came to call them outside. I answered the door and told Billy they couldn't just now, they were eating dinner. By this time he had his foot inside the door. "Can I come in?" - "No, come back a bit later." - "But my Dad said I could!"
Learning
Kids usually like to talk and ask a lot of questions and increase their knowledge about everything. When our daughter was 4 years old she watched as I washed the car on a cool fall day. She never stopped talking all the while and asked dozens of questions, one right after the other. It slowed up the wash job very pleasantly and painted a permanent picture in my mind.
Our 3 year old son was interested in medicine at the time and once crossed from the back yard with a beet root strung over the back of his neck; "Me the doctor!" Another time he referred to a bulrush as a wiener flower but immediately learned its true name.
Management career intentions
Then there's our grandson, now he has a mind of his own, even at 3. Attempting to get him to do it my way, I told him I was the boss here. He said he was the boss. I said that he was the small boss and I was the big boss. So he stood on his toes, stretched and very seriously said: "I'm the biggest boss!"
More learning
Last year I was entering the library as a young man and his 3-4 yr old daughter were leaving. Dad was saying: "No that's not a store. It's a library. That's where they keep all the books." Libraries may never have the same influence on her that corporate marketing and the media will, but then that depends . . . .
Honesty and milking the system
I was about 4 and living where I had not yet started school. It was Halloween night and I was making my 3rd trip around the block with my 2 year older brother. When the lady asked, "Haven't you been here before?" I answered yes, two times.
In raising a family there are so many precious words spoken by kids that are mostly forgotten. I would advise anyone starting out to keep a small notepad and a diary to record it all for later years.
And maybe we can learn a thing or two once again.
Related posts on children
This Creative Commons article is free to copy with the following hyperlinked byline.
Grampa Ken - Author of 32 Keys About Life - and blogger for change at Social-Fix.
