Adventure #28: Children vs. Growing Up

“When we are children we seldom think of the future. This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind.” ~Patrick Rothfuss

I've decided to start a "Children vs." selection of posts. This won't be an every month thing but I have more than one idea in relation to being children, so I felt it was necessary. I've spend so much time with children - teaching, tending, playing, etc - that I have few musings I'd like to share. This world is a better place because of the children in it.

Over the holiday break, I spent some time with my friends Melanie and Chris and their baby boy. The baby was having a cranky sort of day (as we are all likely to have) but a surprising thing distracted him. Winking. He was in his high chair making a pleasant mess and fussing here and there. I'm not sure how we noticed but when I would wink at him, he'd blink back and chuckle. I was so fascinated by this that I continued this "game" for probably 20 minutes. I didn't quit and neither did he. With every wink from me, he would blink right back (I say blink because his "wink" was with both eyes). And, as would be expected for such entertainment, the laughter was continuous for all parties.

How simple is that? I got lost in a world of repetitive exploration. Or perhaps psychological conditioning. Either way, Baby Boy Blinks was as happy to play along as I was. He had just learned a new skill that had a positive and immediate response. If only that type of experience was more frequent in the world.

Additionally, just today I was with My Friend Katie and her niece, lamenting over random drama in my day. When I was holding the adorable, squirmy little one (MFK's niece), I stood her up on my lap and addressed her, asking her about my problems. Before I could even get the first question out, her squishable face lit up like I'd just told her she'd won a million dollars (as a baby though, I don't think she'd care so much about that). I forgot my dilemma in the beam of that radiating smile. She was happy to be talked to, to be held, to be noticed.

How simple is that? I couldn't even finish the question, having encountered that cuteness. But more than that, Sweet Squirmy Smiles found joy in my goofy face and amusing voice. She appreciated a little attention and let you know with a beaming smile. This type of experience is definitely a simple indication but one that we could also use more of in life.

Perhaps my connection to growing up is unclear. Mostly, I just wanted to tell two really great stories. But at the same time, we lose some of this simplicity as we grow up. Learning a little something isn't celebrate-able anymore and a smile means so little after a few years. Something should be done about this. Hold on to the smiles. Don't forget to give a little attention. When you learn something, share it. Always encourage silliness. Channel the simplicity of children as often as you can.