Joy in the Simple Things

You can learn a lot from children. Take my youngest daughter Lizzie, for example. I can think of four times today where she took joy from the simplest things:

1. The Joy of Balloons. The kids dug up an old Brick Oven balloon from who knows where in the house. I'm surprised the thing still had any air in it at all, since we last went to Brick Oven about a month ago. Lizzie was dragging the tiny balloon all over the upstairs by the string, laughing hysterically the whole time. All of this from a pathetic looking balloon and a length of string. Alas, the balloon was popped when we got home from church. Fortunately, we were able to save the string.


2. The Joy of the Frog. Lizzie has a small stuffed frog. It's the kind with the sound chip inside. When you squeeze the frog's front and back, it croaks several times. After breakfast, I was playing with Lizzie by moving the frog back and forth in my hand in time to the croaking while she tried to grab it. She thought that was very funny. After the croaking stopped, she picked up the frog and threw it back into my lap so that I could play the game again. I also tried moving the frog up and down, but it apparently doesn't have the same humor value as back and forth.


3. The Joy of Pushing Daddy Over. I've started a new game with Lizzie, almost by accident. The other day, I was standing next to our Love Sac (think gigantic beanbag). Lizzie came running up to me and ran into my legs. I proceeded to "fall" back into the Love Sac. She laughed and thought that was a great game. She also thought that we should immediately play it several more times. I guess it is empowering for her, and payback for the times that I pick her up and put her into her crib for bed when she doesn't want to go to sleep.


4. The Joy of Jumping on Daddy's Back While He is Lying Down. I don't really need to explain this one, do I? I think the title says it all. :)

Of course these are just four examples I thought of quickly off the top of my head for one day. I could come up with others, such as the Joy of Playing Outside Without Shoes, or the Joy of Eating Watermelon in the Living Room Even Though She Knows Better and Has Been Asked to Take it to the Kitchen Several Times. But I think the examples I have already shared are enough to show my point; Little children take great joy in the little things.

Perhaps this is part of the reason that we have children. As I watch my young daughter explore and discover, I can remember to look for joy in the simple things of life too.