So recently, a very well-meaning friend of mine said to me, “Why exactly are you so happy? The economy is in the hopper, you have been laid off, and things could get a lot worse before they get better.”
To which I replied with my best crooked smile, “Two words: Squirrel Underpants.”
Well, needless to say, this brought raised eyebrows and a slightly-opened, “baby fish mouth” response from my friend. Life, as my sweet friend was trying to point out, can have its moments. Difficult. STRESSFUL. Anxiety-inducing. Blah, blah, BLAH. I get it. I’ve seen the news.
But truth be known, life is mainly amazing and joy-filled. You just have to remember that fact and be open to simple joys of each day. Look up from your routine. Get out of the habitrail sometimes and let yourself laugh and LIVE! I suggest you do this by being a kid at heart.
So, what is a kid at heart? It is something we should all aspire to be. This does not mean that you shirk your responsibilities or are a commitment-phobe, some tragic Peter-Pan type that women’s magazines warn us ladies to stay away from. This simply means that you are an adult with a fully developed sense of play and whimsy, and that you freely let this side of you out on a daily basis. Your capacity to find joy is intact, and you have the ability to share this with others. You are to be commended for this fact. As a kid at heart, you are a Joy Jedi. Own this fact.
So, how do you spot a kid at heart? Take a page out of my field guide and look for these tell-tale signs:
• Has a whimsical action figure, like Freud or Plato, on their desk. But only one – multiple action figures can mean something else entirely, but that is another blog post all together.
• Is not afraid to occasionally snort, wheeze, or shed tears when they laugh. Sometimes all three. If you meet this person, do not approach with caution. Run toward them. Embrace them as your new BFF. You have much to learn at their knee.
• Loves to go work outside if possible, because the sounds of nature and the birds flying by make them happy. Why else would they have invented laptops? Seriously?
• Plays at the park with their kids, or gets a pick-up game with other adults going, instead of standing on the sidelines on the cell phone.
• “Gets “ Sponge Bob, even if they don’t have kids or an excuse to watch it. Who needs one?! It’s SPONGE BOB.
• Would proudly use a Pac Man Oven Mitt in the kitchen.
Being a kid at heart means that you are resilient. You can weather a crap storm better than most. Finding joy and humor in the every day is a priceless skill to have. Embrace it. Model it for others. Teach it to your children. Don’t let them lose the creative spark and the willingness to take risks as they grow-up.
The great Oscar Wilde once said, “Life is too important to be taken seriously!” So I say, when life gives you lemons, give life Squirrel Underpants. Now, get off the computer and go outside and play. Embrace your inner kid at heart. It’s good for you!
***Bethe Almeras is an educator, writer, and blogger and certified 100% kid at heart. She writes The Grass Stain Guru, a daily blog about restoring childhood, and saving ourselves in the process. Bethe is also is a lover of all things squirrel-related, not just underpants.
