I was out running around with my son this morning, and we drove towards the south end of the city. When he stepped out of the family vehicle at our first stop, he got all excited and pointed to the sky “Look, daddy! An Airplane!” I looked up and calmly corrected him, “No, buddy! That’s a helicopter!” He replied with a simple oh, but the excitement on his face was something to see.
I couldn’t help but wonder what the big deal was. After all, it’s just a f%&king helicopter, right? But children are particular that way. The smallest things fascinate them and make them happy. My son is almost like a cat. He usually ends up playing with the wrappings and paper instructions he gets during holidays long before he plays with the actual toy.
It got me to wonder if we, as adults, lose something particular as we get older. As a Buddhist, I strive to enjoy the simple things in life. I pride myself on being able to sit still and simply enjoy being, as life in and of itself is something to be enjoyed. But as we mature into adulthood, and the many complications that come with life begin to encompass our daily routine, we forget the simplicities that bring us joy. Little things like quietly reading a book, or sitting in the sun and breathing in the fresh air.
My son Nathan usually has the ability to run around our back yard with nothing to entertain him but snowballs, our family dog and passing squirrels. As I type this, my wife is humouring my son by kicking a small rubber ball back and forth in the basement. It’s a mindless repetition that makes him laugh and entertains him to no end. I can guarantee that any adult would typically be the ones to say “alright, that’s enough” before any kid would. But the simplicity is enough to make him happy.
Meditation and the martial arts follow this very same principle. There is a lot of repetition, often to our frustration. And there is a simplicity to the mindfulness involved. I think there is a lot to learn from how children view the world. Perhaps if we remembered how to see the world a bit more as they do, we would be freed up from some of the worries that plague adulthood… Just some food for thought.
The Blogging Buddhist 