A Life Worth Living

Live a Little: The Delights of Play.

My heart beat quickens, my palms are sweaty, I am trying hard to regulate my breathing. Beside me are two joyous boys excited to teach their mother how to ride a scooter. I must admit their willingness is endearing. As I try a couple of times to balance, to not go too fast , I can hear them cheering me on. You got this mum!

If you’ve grown up in some parts of the world you are probably wondering, “What? Jaw dropped at the inconceivable notion that I can’t ride a scooter.” And while your jaw is still dropping, I let you in on another fun fact. I can’t ride a bike. This is all true!

I grew up in Kenya and while a version of the scooter has been in existence since the 1817 in Germany and some version of it in the USA since 1900, this was not something I had ever seen. And as for bikes they weren’t uncommon but were mostly used as a means of transportation by adults. And even then it was a big deal to have one. I remember only two kids I knew had a bike for fun and I wasn’t one of them. Despite the fact that I didn’t have any of these things, playtime was exciting and full of adventure.

In a world vastly different from mine, with a lot more of everything, my boys have a different kind of adventure. In their seemingly sophisticated kind of play, they are inviting me to join them and, I must oblige. It’s a chance for me to live a little and experience with them the magic of play. This summer I plan on capturing each moment. So as the boys beat me yet again at four square, as they let me improve my free throws in basketball and teach me how to ride a scooter, I lean into those moments and remind myself, to live every moment to its fullest.

My dear reader, as you begin your summer don’t forget to engage that child like part of you, that part that finds joy in the simple delights of life. Play and live a little. Enjoy the good gifts the lord has placed in your life.