It is time to be a kid again! I mean really let yourself return to childhood and kick loose.
Who cares what the neighbors or your co-workers or your family thinks? It is more than time for you to throw caution to the wind and build a snowman in the front yard. Yes, the front yard, so everyone and anyone can see you.
Preschooler me built this snowman (pictured) with my brothers in our front yard in the 60s. Then when Mom took the photo, I hugged the snowman tight. Cheese. Smile for the camera. Who cares if my jacket or gloves got wet? Snow people are on display, but few of us ever give them a little squeeze of appreciation. Go on, if you live around snow this winter, extend some affection to your favorite snow person.
Extra Helpings of Silly
If it were summer or you live in more tropical weather, I’d encourage you to pick dandelions to give away. Or make some mud pies to deliver to friends. Or what about running through the sprinkler in street clothes? Go on, step into an everyday mini adventure without first scheduling it in your calendar.
While you’re at it, take a minute and read my “Be a Kid Again” prose. I hope it brings smiles and playfulness to nudge you out of adult seriousness. Seriously, most of us need extra helpings of silly these days.
Be a Kid Again
Be a kid again.
Giggle. And giggle lots more.
Make a mess with cookies and milk.
Fall asleep curled up with your pet.
Smile at the sun and watch it smile back.
Hug a snowman . . . real tight.
Sing off-key and make up lyrics.
Be kind to those who don’t play nice.
Be a kid again.
Run in circles until you plop down.
Sink your toes in wet sand and linger in the moment.
Pull out crayons and be your own Picasso.
Chase a butterfly, daring to out-fly it.
Eat a popsicle. Forget about it dripping.
Be happy for no logical reason at all.
Be a kid again.
Put Growing Old on Hold
So how about we live in the present and snuggle into the now? What if we tossed aside our “what ifs” and embraced far-reaching dreams to the moon and back? If only we would follow the advice of playwright George Bernard Shaw, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
So be a kid again—this day—and tomorrow too. Even if just for one minute to make a mess with cookies. Or 30 seconds to hug a snowman real tight. Go on, your jacket will dry. It is more than time to put growing old on hold.
You wrote, “If only we would follow the advice of playwright George Bernard Shaw, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ” That quote has been a life-changer (maybe a life-saver) for me. At the time I was in my forties. I looked around at my peers and those older than me and realized most of them had stopped playing. And growing. And exploring people, places, and limits. And adventure and challenge. They valued sameness. They had given up and given in.
I also realized many of my “heroes” in life never stopped doing those things, many well into their eighties and even nineties. While few of my peers are even remotely interested in going with me, in my sixties I am still pursuing play, growth, adventure, and challenge. Interestingly, what I have found in all of this is strength and courage I did not expect, along with freedom from fear, sameness, and confinement. And I have found resilience.
Kids are adventurers. Yes, be a kid again. Thank you for posting this for us.
Wow, Tim! THANK YOU for sharing this. I so appreciate your personal example of not giving in to sameness and giving up. Keep LIVING and not just being a alive (a line from the new Mercy Me song “Say I Won’t”). My kudos to your courage and strength to press into each new day and not just let time pass by.
We RARELY get any amount of snow much less enough to build a snowman but recently we enjoyed a glorious day long gentle snowfall that gave an opportunity to express our inner child through snow sculptures and snow angels and many spontaneous snowball fights!
Candy, I am soooo glad you kids made the most of your snow rarity. Bravo! I LOVE to make snow angels. Next snow here, I will work on a snow sculpture…in my front yard.
Best reason to be a kid again is because it’s FUN! I get to practice spending time with a two-year-old great grandson. All the world is still a playground to him!
Nancy, this is truly fabulous. How wonderful that you have such FUN with your sweet great grandson. Keep up the kidding around!
We need to not take ourselves and our lives so seriously all of the time. My high school friends and I got together tonight and we put on the songs from our teen years and danced. We will take some ibuprofen for the neck and back pain before bed. ????. Thanks for this most necessary reminder Bethie’ ❤️
Shelly, I LOVE it that you girls had a retro fun party! Love, love it. I bet you slept incredibly well (even without ibuprofen) and you have those songs bopping through your head today with plenty of smiles. Thank you for this fun example of how to not just grow old and sedentary.
My wife has often prayed that I would grow up. But in the end, I think she’ll realize how good she had it living with the eternal child. (I hope so, anyway).
Haaaaaa! Love it, Greg. Thanks for adding a chuckle to my day. We all love your fun-natured, child-like side.