why being a kid rules

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When I was a kid, I used to think that everything I touch was too big. I marveled at how big people could reach the heights I could only touch when standing on a chair. Their hands were big, their strides too fast for my tiny feet to follow. The world seemed oversized and I felt like the Philippine version of Alice in Wonderland, only tanned. Whenever I passed through our doors, the heavy frames of narra would always give me a sense of amazement. I would trace the dark and wavy lines of the wood from where my small hands could reach highest on the frame and down to my feet. And as I followed the lines with both hands, a story would come up in my mind. I would spend the afternoons playing out whatever story I made with my playmates. My older sister and brother had playmates of their own. Their combined domain was outside the red, rustic gate while mine was squashed between our backyard and the front door. I hated sleeping in the afternoons. I usually cried and threw tantrums at anyone who dared silence me. But whenever my yaya and Lolo Narding started telling me of the stories about the engkantos and the policeman (whom I was very scared of) whom are out to snatch naughty kids who wouldn’t take afternoon naps, I would immediately sit and listen attentively instead of falling asleep like what normal kids do. Meal time was my favorite, though not always. My mom had to (at some point) shove veggies down my throat and make me drink Milo (of which I’m not a fan of) before going to bed. When I think back, being a kid is cool. It was also a plus when you were the bunso (youngest). You devote most your time to play, waste some on t.v. and basically have fun all day long. Your family looks after you and in a freaky sense, you have control over them thanks to your chubby cheeks, uncontrollable laughs and undecipherable words.Years later, you realize that being an adult isn’t easy. When you reach the age of 12, you become a high school student. At 16, you start to get tired of high school and yearn to be in college. At 17 you enter college, determined to finish your course and get a decent job. After college, you stuff yourself with work and get obssesed with having a huge salary. You think about your family and the one you will start on your own years later. When you get married, you think about your kids. Then when your kids have a family of their own, you shout out retirement. As soon as education and media partially tell you that money and work will run your life after you step out of high school, the pastel colored world starts to turn bloody and grimmy. The world needs more than ideals and dreams. If your easy prey, the whims of cosmopolitan life would eat you up with the strong demands of money, status and power.

Okay, I’m not that old, just 21. But the way I see it, some adults have their heads stuck in their bank accounts or playing tag with their bosses just to suck up. Face it, without money and connections these days, you can’t get anywhere…or some would think they can’t.

My family is very traditional and strict but that hasn’t, in any way, hindered us from getting somewhere. In fact, it has made us more resilient to pressure. I was taught that when you work hard, you get something good in the end. That “something” may not be what you want, but one thing is certain: it will still be good for you. Being honest is also something my parents have stressed time and again to us. Also to believe in God, have confidence in yourself and never give up. But what I like best is when they would always tell us to just have fun while doing whatever it is that we have to do.

To have fun is just one of the luxuries of life we tend to overlook. We revert to that basic principle that made our childhood so happy and memorable. Whenever you enjoy yourself, every nasty thing in your system flies away and you get refreshed. I think that what most people forget to do nowadays is to live. Breathe in life and just enjoy every minute of it. When you have hard times, just smile and pause; you never know what sort of magic being happy does to someone.

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