On Aging

I've got two stories or ideas that prompt this post.

First. Last weekend, I made a trip to my parents' house for a special family event. Loveduck and I were in her room one afternoon, probably doing nothing in particular, when I noticed she had a hula hoop in the corner. It was blue and sparkly. But, Loveduck is 19 years old, so I was kind of confused.

So, I asked.

Me: Loveduck, why do you have a hula hoop in your room?
Loveduck: Why don't you have a hula hoop in your room?

Ah. Good point.

Second. I recently stumbled upon a picture on the internet. It was a picture of advice a 6th grader was giving to next year's 6th graders. Here's the advice: "As you get older things will seem more lame than before. Nothing will change but you, I promise."

(Here's the link to where I got that: http://iwastesomuchtime.com/on/?i=74073)

The philosophy. As we're fighting our battles, it's easy to feel like we can or should leave childish things behind. Things like finances and careers and appearances become more important than taking the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. See, if you listed the concerns of the average child, they would probably include things like how much candy their parents let them eat or how much play time they had each day. But as adults, we worry if we'll make it to the next paycheck, or if the boss is satisfied with our work, or if when we look in the mirror, our hips aren't too big. (You know what, that second list was easier for me to make than the one about children. Interesting.)

I've discovered that I seek out those friends who like to find a reason to laugh, and sometimes laugh for no reason except life is funny. Those times when we laugh until our sides hurt are the best. That's when we really connect to that inner child, and it makes it easier to fight the battle.