The Joy of Children
I have been doing quite a bit of traveling lately and have
noticed that into the grouchiest of scenes full of disgruntled folks,
the smile of a child, the gurgling of a baby, the babble of happy
children bring grins to the faces of all those in attendance. Can you
remain in a negative mood when a tiny hand reaches out to grasp yours
with a gentle squeeze as his delicate skin brushes against your own? Or
how about walking by a swimming pool from which raucous laughs and loud
crashes of cascading water greet your ears and turn a frown into a beam
of joy? Or when your granddaughter teases you with a bit of melted
chocolate offered on sticky fingers because she wants to share the love.
Kids keep us young with their innocence and desire to please. Their
cheerfulness and sheer glee are delightful.
As I observed this dreamlike world of happiness, my daughter-in-law pointed out that some of the grouchy folks who now are smiling are also weird. And so as I watched more intently, I had to agree the old drunk who is grinning is also chattering and making me nervous to watch him just as the lady who wants to pat my grandchildren's heads with her grimy palm is sort of creepy. I also recognize that most of these people are lonely and that they mean well, but their paths in life have led them into unsavory circumstances and they are a little scary and intrusive.
My daughter who is now 7 months pregnant added that she is shocked by the number of strangers who approach her and want to touch her stomach to feel the baby kick. Even I, her mother, ask first when it comes to placing my hand over the womb so I certainly understand her reticence with these unwelcome advances. Some people invade privacy by asking personal questions of her like what type of delivery she is planning or they share their own, personal childbirth horrors. But I try to discount all of these oddballs and focus on the joy that children naturally bring.
If you are feeling sad, take a stroll to the park and then sit on the bench and watch kids at play. You can also head to the swimming pool, a school playground, or walk through a neighborhood where children are playing tag outside or riding bikes along sidewalks. Their giggles are good for the heart and the soul. I must warn you, however, that two problems may arise from these upbeat recommendations. First, sometimes while the kids are amazing, their parents or caregivers are not. It breaks my heart to hear moms yelling obscenities at their children or making crazy threats or behaving in a brash, hurtful manner. I just have to get up and leave. While I have tried gentle advice, typically this just escalates the mean behavior, and harms the children even more. Cruel words are terrible.
Or if you go to many parks, pools, and playgrounds, you may be perceived as one of the weirdos my daughter-in-law warned me about and that is sad as most people can greatly benefit from the happiness exuded by children.
As I observed this dreamlike world of happiness, my daughter-in-law pointed out that some of the grouchy folks who now are smiling are also weird. And so as I watched more intently, I had to agree the old drunk who is grinning is also chattering and making me nervous to watch him just as the lady who wants to pat my grandchildren's heads with her grimy palm is sort of creepy. I also recognize that most of these people are lonely and that they mean well, but their paths in life have led them into unsavory circumstances and they are a little scary and intrusive.
My daughter who is now 7 months pregnant added that she is shocked by the number of strangers who approach her and want to touch her stomach to feel the baby kick. Even I, her mother, ask first when it comes to placing my hand over the womb so I certainly understand her reticence with these unwelcome advances. Some people invade privacy by asking personal questions of her like what type of delivery she is planning or they share their own, personal childbirth horrors. But I try to discount all of these oddballs and focus on the joy that children naturally bring.
If you are feeling sad, take a stroll to the park and then sit on the bench and watch kids at play. You can also head to the swimming pool, a school playground, or walk through a neighborhood where children are playing tag outside or riding bikes along sidewalks. Their giggles are good for the heart and the soul. I must warn you, however, that two problems may arise from these upbeat recommendations. First, sometimes while the kids are amazing, their parents or caregivers are not. It breaks my heart to hear moms yelling obscenities at their children or making crazy threats or behaving in a brash, hurtful manner. I just have to get up and leave. While I have tried gentle advice, typically this just escalates the mean behavior, and harms the children even more. Cruel words are terrible.
Or if you go to many parks, pools, and playgrounds, you may be perceived as one of the weirdos my daughter-in-law warned me about and that is sad as most people can greatly benefit from the happiness exuded by children.
Comments
Post a Comment
thank you