Simplicity

I had a beautiful experience with a little girl yesterday while we were travelling. We had arrived to Krabi by bus, and were waiting to buy tickets and catch the next bus on to Hat Yai to get home. Ray was busy texting and emailing and a sweet little girl, maybe 2 or 3 years old, started wandering around the desk. I said "Sa-wat-de-ka!" and she grinned from ear to ear. She then proceeded to hide under the desk - so I could peak down and see her, and then sneak up on top of the desk - again for more peaking and smiles.

Finally, after chasing a kitten over to where I was sitting she got up the nerve to come right up to me. She ran up as quick as she could and put her chubby little hand on my arm and then just stared. Stared at her hand, then my arm, then her skin, then my skin, back and forth. Then she looked at me in amazement and laughed. Such a beautiful innocent laugh that seemed to say - wow, did you know there are different colours of skin?! This is too cool?! - and then off she ran again.

I often envy children. I envy their innocence and miss the feeling of learning new things, and never being jaded by what you have learned already, or by what the world has shaped you to think. I wish we could all stay in that simple way of life, where you wake up in the morning and truly LIVE each day. You don't think about tomorrow, or yesterday. Life is what it is, and you run around enjoying the fullness of it.

I have this newspaper clipping at home that I've kept for over 10 years. I first cut it out and put it up in my locker when I was in highschool. I think it was an add for a bank, but I cut that bit of the paper off. It is a black and white picture of two boys, in oversized raincoats and boots, looking up and laughing as they get drenched in the pouring rain. And the caption says "Remember when you didn't worry about money".

I do remember...and with every bit of me I long for the days when I didn't worry about money, or jobs, or transfers, or licenses, or the future. How do I get back to the place where I wake up and live each day by enjoying the fullness of life and not worry?

Love
Pamela