This past Sunday I spent a couple of hours at the parish festival in Pearl Lake. About half of that time was observing kids (including my son) on the playground. I realized that we grown-ups can learn a few things from kids at play. Don’t ask 100 questions before jumping in to play The only questions you’re likely to hear on the playground are “Are you done yet?” or “Can I do that?” Most things just don’t matter Kids don’t ask what another child’s last name is, or what town they live in, or what their parents do for a living. It doesn’t matter to them whether the kids they’re playing with are from the city or the country, if they’re rich or poor, or what color their skin or hair or eyes happen to be. Kids just want to play with other kids. Anything other than actual play just doesn’t matter. Risk I doubt that you’ll ever see a child stop at the edge of a slide or sandbox to calculate the risks of the activity before them. No, kids jump in and do what makes them happy. Only adults would choose risk analysis over fun. Rarely give up Kids can be tenacious. They can keep trying something until they get it. They may give up temporarily, but come back again … and again to give it another try. Don’t let boo-boos stop them Children – especially boy children – get lots of boo-boos in playing. Young ones may cry and run to a parent. But older kids can quickly brush it off and get back to playing. Their resilience can be as awesome as their endless energy. Community A kid’s sense of “community” is who he’s with and where he’s at right now. There’s no discussion of geographic or political boundaries on the playground. There’s never argument about which town can claim a particular piece of equipment or activity. A kid’s community consists of whoever is around him or her at the time. If we are going to survive as a society – and as a community – we have to break down the invisible barriers that separate “them” from “us”. As it turns out, “they” are “us”, and “we” are “them”. It’s all a matter of “we”. We need to work together for the economic good of our broader community. Whether it’s jobs, taxes, conserving resources, or shopping closer to home, we all have important roles to play. When illness comes, or disaster strikes, we rush to the aid of our neighbors. Futurists talk of resource shortages, and some paint a bleak picture. But we can help shape our future. We can rush to our own aid. And we can help make sure the next generation of kids can freely play at their playgrounds. I believe that we can learn a lot from kids at play: Go for what makes you happy. Forget about all the things keeping you from being happy. Play together nicely (even if that means working together nicely). Don’t let bumps and bruises along the way stop you. And don’t forget your “please” and “thank you’s” along the way. Thank you.
