My house was clean, the dishes done. Dinner had been made and consumed. Rather than sit on my butt and watch TV, I opted to empty my linen closet and have some silly fun.
We all have those childhood memories that we look back on fondly. Sometimes, we even attempt to recreate them with our own kids. But rarely do we enjoy them as adults. We are in such a hurry to grow up, that we part with our toys, and our imaginations so quickly, and without thought. Only to realize years down the road, that childhood was truly magical, and now just a distant memory.
But it doesn't have to be. Growing older doesn't mean you can no longer enjoy the trappings of your youth. It doesn't mean that the magic has to end. And you don't even need to use your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews, and neighborhood rugrats as an excuse. Do it for you. Because it makes YOU happy.
Life is filled with struggle. As adults, it's difficult to ignore the ugly sides of reality. Bills need to be paid, bosses have expectations, the lawn needs to be mowed. There's always something demanding your time and attention. But what if every once in awhile, you stopped and did something childlike? What if after you raked that pile of leaves, you jumped in it? For no other reason than just to do it. What if, after the kids went to bed, you put on their superhero cape and jumped on the trampoline? I can guarantee you this... the world will not end, and you WILL smile. For those few moments, you can forget your cares. You can essentially... be a kid again.
Most of what made childhood so fun was the lack of worry. We didn't worry if the dishes were done. We didn't worry about what other people would think. We just acted on instinct. If the swings tempted us, we ran for them and swung until our legs ached. We spent hours playing make believe, and pretended to be knights and princesses. We used our imaginations, and soared on the backs of dragons without ever leaving our backyards. We played, and we played hard.
Then somewhere along the way, we just stopped playing. We believed we had to. That grown ups didn't blow bubbles, color, or cannonball into swimming pools. But why? I thought the whole bonus to being an adult was that you could do whatever you wanted. You could eat cupcakes and ice cream for dinner, and wear shorts in the winter. Being an adult meant that you made up your own rules. Yet most adults live under this secret, unspoken code of conduct. These rules benefit no one, yet so many people still allow them to control their behaviors.
Well not me. I know I'm a grown up. I don't need to prove it to anyone. If I want to wear Hello Kitty underpants, and watch Saturday Morning Cartoons, I'll be damned if I'll let anyone tell me otherwise.
If I want to rock a sparkly tiara and fairy wings to clean my house, I will. And you know what... I'll be happier because of it.
Stop letting the world tell you that childhood ends at any certain age, because it only ends when we stop playing, and I have no intention of ever doing that.
Life is stressful. Being an adult is hard. But you know the best part about being an adult? You can mix together all the joys of childhood with the best parts of adulthood. Crack a beer and do some coloring, and tell me that doesn't relieve your stress. Build a fort, and invite your partner to join you in it. (wink, wink) Put on a tutu and dance around your living room to gansta rap. Do whatever makes you happy, and do it now. We only have so much time here, and there's no excuse to spend it being miserable. Don't ignore your inner child. Let them out to play from time to time. I promise you, you won't regret it.
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