Sovereignty of the Individual

I spent the day today on the beach from 9 am to 6 pm.  Now before you dream up images of a fruity cocktail, an umbrella, and a good book, I have to tell you, it was much better than that.  I spend the day with 6 children under the age of 7 years old.  We built sand castles, buried each other, played in the waves, and filled the entire day with just us, sun, sand, and water.  It was a great reminder of the simplicity of happiness and making the most of a situation.  At different times the kids would get tired and lose their charm, but after a nap in the shade they were up and going again.

Contrast this with a family that set up shop next to us.  They had coolers, a bbq pit, an elaborate tent, chairs, towels, and more toys than you could count.   It took about an hour for the father to set up their camp.  All through the day they grouched and grumbled at each other.  The father was clearly stressed out trying to keep everything organized and everyone happy.  I was fascinated by how unhappy a family could be while spending a gorgeous day on the beach.

The moral of the story for me was that sometimes things, even great things, get in the way of living in the simple pleasures of the moment.  Nothing keeps me in that state of mind better than spending time with a child between the age of 2 and 5.  Kids at this age, as long as they have enough food, and shelter, and sleep, can be happy playing with anything from socks to sand to pots and pans.  Spark their imagination and they can revel in the simple pleasures of life for hours at a time.  I find that when I’m able to operate at that level and truly marvel in the simple pleasures of life that all of the adult stress and struggle seems to melt away, and for a few minutes I find the panacea of childhood again.

The pure hearts and uninhibited childish humor that a child of this age range shares is a priceless gift.  Sometimes when I’m around other people my age, they seem old to me.  They don’t smile often and are very prim and proper in their appearance.   When a child give you a hug and a kiss, there is not motive or manipulation.  It is pure love.   I like keeping some of the childish ways in my habits.  We can all learn a lot of life lessons from the children among us.