Time, The Coin of Life

As the days become longer, it is easy to think of lazy days, picnics, vacations, back-yard cookouts, and other funtime activities associated with summertime. This time of year seems to lend itself to lots of laughter and good times. It probably is a lot easier to let one's child out to play during this time especially because of the weather.

Letting one's child out means laughing a lot more, joking, smiling, being lighthearted, happy-go-lucky, clowning around and cutting the fool. There are many other ways that this could be described. Many of us, however, can not seem to relax or free ourselves up to do this. Then there are those that have distractions to the extent that they block this from happening.

There are things that invade the subconscious mind to the extent that this is not possible. Some folk have been taught that life is so complex, such a puzzle or complication that there is no time for fun. So in essense some have not been taught to live. Sometimes work is so demanding that one of the costs is giving up joy itself. I read where one psychologist, who found himself in this predicament, said that one day he realized that he had been through way to many days without laughter.

This can be such a part of the personality that it may seem hopeless to think about changing it. Just suppose that a person has been taught from role modeling that life is a task with no time to focus on fun. A scenario might be that this child comes from a background of such impoverishment that the work ethic is all he has been taught. There have been many people born into such poverty that no thoughts of having fun seemed to never invade their conscious minds. It is hard to realize that this could happen today because of the general standard of living that most of us know.

The parents of this individual might have worked in semi-skilled positions and because of this, the bare necessities were about all that could be provided. This youngster sees his dad go to work each day week after week and still is barely able to meet the basic needs of the family. Well, very little thought is given to tomorrow, only making it through one more day.

This example has robbed this child of the ability of laughter, and little joy can be seen in life itself. He learns rather quickly that life is a chore. It only dishes out pain and not pleasure. Therefore, hopes, dreams, and aspirations are virtually non-existent.

When I was talking with a female therapist friend of mine a few years ago about this type of person, she put it best. She said some people don't have the ability to dream. This seems to happen especially to people from impoverished backgrounds.

I heard a saying a few days ago that time is the coin of life and how we spend it is up to us. Surely people spend it differently. I don't want to be ashamed of the way mine is spend. The example given is only a case scenero.

It is commendable to accept responsiblity, be mature, hard working and push ourselves intellectualy but we need to be very careful that we don't allow the complexities of life to rob us of joy. Take some time today to let your kid out to play. He will remember how to play, laugh and be carefree if you give him the chance. He only needs to be asked to come out and play.