It’s Worth It to Be a Child

I have always noticed how some people carry certain infantile approaches with them into their adult lives, while they are sometimes seen as irresponsible or “screw loose,” coincidentally, they are always the ones who are most at ease in regards to communication, attitude, and are the most joyful in any crowd.

When we are children, to laugh and fool around is something totally normal, just as it is a demonstration of health and happiness. Our parents look on in pride of their smiling and bouncy toddlers. Meanwhile, as our children grow up, they are demanded more and more sobriety and responsibility in their lives; in other words, an “adult” attitude.

Children climb trees, eat fruit right off the branch, run around in the rain, sit on the floor, eat lollipops, lick their fingers, make ugly faces at what they don’t like, laugh at anything that’s funny, and if they don’t like a present, they hurl it far off right there on the spot.

As adults, we have fond memories of all this. But we also have the memory from this tender age of the paradigm being implanted into our heads that when we grow up, none of this will be allowed anymore. It is all too common for us to look into a pair of those bright little mischievous eyes and think back with much, much longing of our own past childhood.

It is also true to witness the fact that almost every old man become a boy again, due to attitude changes during old age and our tendency to take care of everything for them, less their misbehavior cause too much of a disturbance.

When we are little life seems peaceful and fun; everything is light, loose, we don’t have to worry about rent, food or bills to pay. Our needs are met by everyone around us in order to keep us happy, whenever there’s a problem the adults spare the smaller ones, and the world revolves around this general joy.

Then we become adults and at this stage we see joy and tranquility fade away. Everything is left over for us to handle. We become responsible and liable for everything. Bills to pay, advice to give, decisions to make… We have to have the maturity and solemnity to solve everything. We cannot ever expect someone else to resolve things for us. We go into a robotic state, programmed to think according to work demand and risky decision making.

In the old days some people were considered systematic and were in fact workaholics, meaning that they did not run from the system, the rules. They were serious, honest, hardworking, responsible and were considered great marriage partners and every father dreamed of a person like this to bestow their son or daughter over to, in value of the security of a solid marriage.

Today we see that none of this actually works anymore. We have only grown more and more certain of life’s uncertainty and instability. Tomorrow you may not be here anymore and there’s no use in building up huge patrimonies without knowing if you’ll be alive to enjoy it.

In hindsight, we have come to the conclusion that life requires health and health is the joy of living. It has been affirmed time and time again by people who have had or still have all the material goods money could possibly buy, but suffer from serious illness, that they would give their last piece of gold if they could go back and live their lives differently, enjoying only health and joyfulness.

The recipe for all this is getting back in touch with your lost childhood. It’s not waiting for a disease or old age to come knock on your door and live to regret what you have not lived. All the therapies in the world are there for you to discover the joy and happiness that cost nothing and are at your fingertips; that you need not pay for any of it! Allow your hidden child to arise, kept under lock and key within you, and look upon him/her with the glow of longing in their eyes. Transform into a reality your lost joy, your forgotten lightness. Begin this endeavor alone without speaking to anyone. Give yourself the right to pull a funny face at someone when driving in your car or riding the bus. You’ll laugh at yourself throughout the entire day every time you remember a little lark like this. Then, in the square or in the amusement park where children are playing, use the excuse of helping out their parents and go play trolley, go down the slides, climb trees and stick your tongue out or make faces at the boy next to you. At first he’ll be scared, but then he’ll try to beat you with an even uglier face. Enjoy the rain, take off your shoes and stomp around in the runoff, eat lollipops and above all, laugh at everything and everyone around you. Laugh at what you think is funny whenever you find it funny. Don’t mind what others think or say. If they say you have a few loose screws, or that you’ve lost your bonkers, don’t pay any mind and once they understand that you are happier and healthier than they are, then you’ll see that it’s worth it to be a child.