Childlike Wonder

            Do you remember when you were young and the world was fresh and new? Every experience you had, whether it was splashing in puddles during a sudden rain shower, snuggling under a warm, cozy blanket, or simply eating your favorite kind of cookie, you probably did it with all your senses and were fully present in the moment. Children experience the world differently than adults. All you have to do is take a toddler on a walk down the street to realize that. They stop to look at every bug, pick up every stick, touch every flower. Their goal is never the destination, it’s all about the journey. And the journey is where the true magic can be found.

Last week I was driving into town to meet a friend. It was early evening and the perfect temperature outside. I had my windows rolled down and was listening to music. There was a lot of traffic, and I was eager to get to where I was going. Then the smell of freshly mowed grass filled my nostrils and suddenly I was whisked away to a simpler time.

At the age of six I lived in a tiny town in upstate New York. What I remember clear as yesterday was swinging on my swing set in the backyard while my father mowed the lawn. I adored the feeling of swinging. It was rhythmic and soothing but also exciting when I was able to pump hard enough to soar really high. I pumped and swung and soared for an hour every time my father would mow the lawn. He would smile and wave as he came near, and I would inhale the delicious, fresh scent of cut grass. I was young and carefree and didn’t focus on anything but the present moment.

Now, every time I smell freshly mowed grass, I am immediately brought back to that memory, and I can’t help but smile and be filled with that same sense of awe at the magic and aliveness of the world around me.

            Think back to when you were very young. What experiences filled you with joy? Maybe it was blowing bubbles, climbing a tree, or dancing wildly to music. Take some time to really remember all the simple things that made the world feel magical. Eating your favorite flavor of ice cream, building a blanket fort, coloring with brand new crayons. Or maybe you liked to read spooky stories in a dark room with a flashlight, jump as high as you could on a trampoline, boogie board giant waves in the ocean. I want you to take some time this week to remember all those things and write them down. Little things, big things, and everything in between. If it made you feel alive, made you laugh out loud with joy, filled your heart with wonder, write it down. See how many different things you can come up with. Then start doing those things.

            At least once a week, more often if possible, choose one thing from your list and do it. And while you are doing it, whether it’s drinking hot cocoa with as many marshmallows as will fit, playing hopscotch on your driveway, or rewatching a movie you loved, be fully present in the moment and use all your senses to really take it all in and enjoy every minute of it. Pick a time to do it when you won’t be rushed and don’t let any of your to-do’s, worries, or nagging thoughts interrupt you. This is your time to see the world again through the eyes of a child. If you start incorporating this into your lifestyle you will start to see all the beauty in the world around you. Our marvelous earth is full of endless opportunities to experience everyday magic. All it takes is a little childlike wonder.