Kids

So I got to enjoy the day off work today since I LOVE taking random days off in the middle of the work week (it's a joke). I decided to spend part of the day at Prospect Park doing some reading and writing (I am actually illiterate but I pretend I can read and write, in English that is). Apparently, I picked the same day to go to the park as the 30 teachers who planned their class trips. Consequently, I wound up sitting in the park trying to read with literally a 1000 kids running around yelling and screaming.

As I tried to weather (pun!) the chaos around me and work through the accounting textbook I was reading (I read those for fun), I realized that watching the kids run around like maniacs and do stupid things to each other was actually pretty fun. It was fun to watch because THEY were having fun. While I was sitting here on the wet bench under cloudy skies shivering and cursing the Gods for making my day off much colder than the 75 degree lie that weather.com had propagated, the kids all around me thoroughly enjoyed themselves laughing and running around like chickens with their heads cut off on the puddle infested grass and muddy fields. It really made me envious that they were so happy even in such a crummy environment whereas I see the same situation as an imperfection in my day off, a day where I DIDN'T even have to work. Nothing could trouble these kids. Well, except for maybe that some of the parents screwed up their lunch and forgot to pack a bag of chips or gave them the wrong flavor of Kool-Aid.

I thought to myself, why is it so difficult for us adults to truly enjoy what's around us? It's so simple but we can't seem to appreciate what we have instead of worrying about what we DON'T have. Why can't we get rid of the nagging thoughts in our mind like work, careers, money, relationships, animal rights, and laundry (similar group of important concerns obviously)? Maybe all we need is a ball, a frisbee, a friend, or just open space to truly enjoy ourselves. If you were to ask me today what I needed to have fun, just give me a super wet and muddy field and 30 minutes of recess.

What I wouldn't do to spend a day in the shoes of a kid again...