Full of energy

Young people are so full of energy. The picture shows the son of a friend about to kick his football. He's just eight-years-old, and full of energy and a zest for life. It looks as if he's shooting for a penalty or something! He's not, he's just taking a kick for fun, but he's totally wrapped up in the moment.

Shooting for goal

Why do we lose this zest and appetite for fun as we grow older? Our young friend is utterly focussed on this kick. Click the image for a closer view, look at the expression on his face, the movement in his arms and legs, the sheer focus on the moment. He's putting everything into that kick.

Life will bring us beauty and ugliness, joy and pain, laughing and crying. Is a child immune to these feelings? No!

Children fall and cry, they joke and laugh, they play and have fun, they mourn over a dead hamster. They are not free from pain. But they go through the pain and sorrow and then move on to the next thing. I think the key is that they tend to focus on the moment. Whatever a child is doing right now is likely to be more important than what they did yesterday or may do tomorrow.

Adults tend to carry with them much anxiety about yesterday and tomorrow. They worry and fret. It can spoil the happy moments of today. It shouldn't!

Take out a ball and kick it around. Even better, do it with friends who love you. Have some fun, live in the moment, celebrate whatever you have and whatever you can do, stop grieving over the things you cannot do. Donna and I had a wonderful time kicking that ball about.

Enjoy life. Every day is a treasure and a miracle. Enjoy each one as it comes along.

(If you liked this you might also like Journeys of heart and mind and Quote me on this.)