Thursday, May 20, 2010

Finding Joy

Wouldn't it be fun to be a kid again.

Kids have no bills. Kids have no job. Kids have no responsibilities at all.

Kids have parents to care for them and provide for all their needs. My kid, specifically, has more toys than Toys R Us and more clothes than Old Navy.

There is one thing even better than all this. This one thing is what I envy about kids the most. They can experience true joy from the simplest things. Kids have not yet been jaded by the difficulties of life. They have not yet given up hope on mankind. They haven't had their spirit broken.

Kids are simply good. From that 100% goodness they can create the most perfect laughter and the most joyous smiles.

They can be overjoyed by seeing a bird or a dog.  Kids can laugh for hours when playing with balloons or bubbles.  When is the last time you bought something at Wal Mart for a couple bucks and were truly excited? Kids do it every day.

I would love to go back to a place where life seemed perfect. It would be great to live again before any real hurt or pain entered our lives. Then we could find true happiness in a gentle breeze or watching a hummingbird flit around looking for nectar.

Sure we can find this type of joy occasionally, but it is never as full and enduring as the joy of a child.

After all some children even go crazy for rocks.

6 comments:

Gucci Mama said...

Well said. Totally agree.

And those look like some very exciting rocks.

ericdbolton said...

Maybe I'm jaded from having so many kids.. But that dollar stuff and mcdonald happy meal toys that bring so much excitement get overwhelming in regards to just too much stuff.

my daughter brought a baggie of rocks into the house the other day. I threw them back in the back yard. I couldn't trust my other kids not to find them and throw them INSIDE. Well it pissed off my daughter to which my wife knew what I was worried about and explained it to her. So feeling guilty I went to CVS and bought a dollar tupperware bowl so she can put her rocks in.

But not to be a total debbie downer.. Yes, the little things bring much happiness to their uncynical minds. :)

Katherine said...

haha! Ethan loves rocks, too. And worms.

I think that's one of the special privileges us parents get. We have an open window at all times to remember what it was like to be a kid. I think in some ways, it helps keep us grounded and mindful of life's simple pleasures. After all, is there anything more wonderful that watching the pure joy a child gets from something as innate as rocks? :)

Liz@thisfullhouse said...

Yes, it would be nice to be a kid again...6 and under. After that, well, they have their days, too.

Still love rocks though ;)

Anonymous said...

It would be fun to be in place where everything is fun and new and exciting. I'm always amazed at how little man gets himself all worked up when we approach the play ground, even though we've been there at least a hundred times at this point. I guess to him it's a bit like Groundhog Day

SurprisedMom said...

Great post! Thanks for bring a little of joy to me today. I remember my girls getting so excited, filled with joy over rocks. They had quite a collection. I guess as we get older, we forget about feeling joy over the simple things . . . until we have children. May Braden's joy continue for a long time and may you feel joy just being with him and seeing his joy.