Simple
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,
To turn, turn, will be our delight
Till by turning, turning we come round right.
Joseph Brackett, Jr, 1848
I love to sit back and just watch little children play. They have no worries, no responsibilities. They are fully in the moment, truly enjoying every single thing that comes their way. Joy radiates from their smiling eyes, and their peals of laughter are absolutely infectious.
As we grow older and are exposed to more of the world around us, we lose the ability to find pleasure in the simple things of life. With the acquisition of each new technology, we become that much more dependent upon things to make our lives easier, certain that with this gadget, we will finally be content. But there is always something new on the horizon, something better than what we already have, something promising to bring true happiness.
I can't remember the last time I went more than a day without checking my email. If I leave the house without my cell phone I feel naked. I don't think I would be capable of fixing a complete meal without my microwave. And don't even get me started on the evil, mesmerizing qualities of TiVo.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I want to do away with any of those things. But shouldn't I be able to go without them for a few days without having withdrawls? What happened to the little girl who was content with a good book under a big shade tree? Where is the child excitedly hunting for new kittens in Gramma's barn? When did walks in the woods become less than enough to inspire wonder? Surely that person is still here somewhere deep down.
Yes, occasionally I catch a glimpse of her. Blowing bubbles on the playground for my class or curled up on the couch with a purring cat. But it seems those moments are far fewer than I would like.
6 comments:
Boy, I hear ya. I have to *try* to allow simple moments, these days.
Sucks to grow up.
:)
As I watched one of my young teammates dancing and singing around the house this morning, I had the same thought that you wrote so well. Where did that young carefree girl go?
Those days of simple pleasures...
long gone.
I'm really not a gadget person, no microwave, no tumble drier, no car, no dishwasher. But email is essential! Its very difficult to pry me away from it!
I think knowing that you want that "inner child" to come out to play is the first step. Being with children helps a lot too. 'Course I have some electronic toys I'm not giving up....
It does give one pause, doesn't it- how farwe have come in our lives only to lose something in the process...
A wonderful post- food for thought...
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