The innocence of youth...

Today I received not one, but two reminders of the how amazing little kids can be. Let me start by sharing.

The first is from a blog I highly recommend and enjoy frequenting...it speaks for itself.

Life In Forsyth - Mail call!

The second, comes from my oldest brother, sharing the actions of my nephew...indicating that he (my brother) "has a two year old who is asking why Nemo doesn't have a mommy. Seriously." followed shortly by "now has a two year old who insists that Nemo's Mommy was at church during the whole movie, while Nemo's Daddy was trying to find him. Only in the home of two pastors..."

Both accounts instantly made me laugh (lol if you will), perhaps enhanced by the fact that I know both children. Then a series of thoughts went through my mind over the next several minutes. I thought back to a toddler on the beach many years ago running around naked, as children at the beach often do, when he abruptly stopped to pee...not in the water to hide, not behind a towel or boardwalk, but right there a few feet from the water's edge with arms stretched out by his side simply letting it fly, arching in the wind.

At this point I make some personal projections on these situations as I see them. The first young man showing his independence, not allowing difficulties or lack of perfect ability to stop him. At the same time, taking the time and energy to communicate to the people he cares about. When is the last time you stopped to write a letter to someone you love? The second one showing what I feel is amazing insight, while also taking the time to question what's before him. Honestly, how many of you considered where Nemo's mother was or anything similar? The last child seemingly so carefree, without societies "rules" or "norms" infringing on his enjoyment of the day at the beach. When was the last time you really let go (and no, I don't mean your bladder) and took time to just relax and enjoy the world around you?

I guess it got me thinking, at what point in life do we suddenly start taking ourselves so seriously, perhaps too seriously. When does everything else become more important than living, laughing, loving. Why does it seem the 'musts' and 'have-to's go higher on the to-do list than the 'want-to's.

And then even as I type this I wonder if even in considering all this, if I'm not doing the very thing I'm calling in to question.