When Did I Get So Busy?

I remember being young and having nothing to do but play. My brother and sister and I would spend hours upon hours just playing outside with the neighbors on the street until the dark settled, and our parents would force us to come inside. And I mean force. We were having far too much fun to go back in the boring indoors. There were no stresses, no worries. I don't think I even knew what a deadline was. If I did, I guarantee I didn't care.

Now, it seems like play is something forbidden. When did I grow up? Why do I have to be part of the "real world," where it sometimes seems like adults don't know how to have any fun? It's all about work, work, work. Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. Hurry, hurry, hurry! I, too, become guilty of such time-urgent attitudes, which frustrates me even more. Don't you ever wish you could just go back to being a kid? You didn't worry about how much money was in your bank account (mainly because the only bank you knew had hooves and a curly tail), and the only significance the letter "K" had for you was that it was the 11th letter in the alphabet. And you always had time. In fact, sometimes you had too much time.

I currently often find myself wondering where time went. It's as if there are moments when I have to remember to breathe because things get so busy and chaotic. And the crazy thing is, that is the norm for a lot of people who are "grown up." It's all about the job; it's all about the salary; it's all about the success; it's all about not wasting another minute wasting another minute. It's madness!

I have found it's essential to make sure you still play and find enjoyment. Go for a run, ride a bike, play in the rain. You have to be able to laugh and have fun with the time you have here on earth. After all, the time goes by so quickly, especially when you start to grow up. I think Rod Stewart said it best: "Be courageous, and be brave, and in my heart you'll always stay forever young."