When I walked down the block to fetch some more of the oak logs from curbside where a tree had been chopped down, I saw the most glorious sight: A bunch of young kids riding around on what were obviously brand-new scooters and bicycles. This used to be such a normal sight when I was growing up: kids of assorted ages engaged in unstructured play. A couple of adults were sitting on a nearby porch, but they were engaged in their own conversation while casually keeping an eye on the kids. This sight is not so normal anymore, which is why it struck me.
Strewn on the lawn of the big corner lot were an equal number of other new toys — balls, other scooters and bikes.
What beautiful chaos!
And earlier today on my Facebook feed I ran across this quote: “”One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.” (Andy Rooney, American writer, producer, humorist; born 1919, died 2011.)
I’m a big one for clean-as-you-go cooking; desk decluttering; constant easy tidying-up. But some kinds of messy are just beautiful, and worth allowing to sit for a bit while fun is in progress.
Merry Christmas, if you celebrate Christmas. I’m finding more ways to celebrate it, such as slowing down and noticing wonderful stuff I used to take for granted.
Further Reading:
A New Movement Is Working To Get Kids To Play Outside Again (earth.com)
25 Best U.S. Cities for Kids to Play Outside (fatherly.com) – If your place isn’t on this list, maybe the article will give you some tips for creating more of a play-friendly environment in your town or neighborhood.