I was watching television the other day when I noticed my four-year-old sitting quietly on the floor next to my feet. He had his mouth open and was placing it on my legs. Curiosity got the better of me, and I just had to ask.

“What are you doing”?

“Did you know there are two ways to make bubbles with your mouth,” he said informatively. “You can do it with your lips…(here he demonstrated)..or with your tongue…(another demo).”

My automatic reaction was to start a lecture on why bubble blowing with spit and mouths was not okay with mom.

“You know, you really shouldn’t…”

My voice trailed off as I began to wonder. I know you can make bubbles with your lips, but your tongue? I had to try it. It took me a couple of attempts, but I finally managed to get a few bubbles using my tongue. The first one felt so funny, I giggled. Then it was just fun! So, my youngest son and I spent a little quality time together seeing who could make the most impressive bubble. It was fun, easy, and free entertainment!

Children are capable of taking pleasure in being. Whatever is around them, in their environment, offers them opportunities for enjoyment. Now don’t get me wrong, children are able to be bored easily, as well. Say, for example, on the first day of summer vacation, after complaining for nine months that school takes all their free time and they can not wait to have a little time to do whatever they want. However, they are also able to enjoy life fully.

Many times we tend to dismiss what children take pleasure in. Those things are what we often call “the little things”, dismissing them. We view them as luxuries, things Busy People, or people with purpose, do not engage it.

Our full schedules are badges of honor. We feel guilty when we do “indulge” in something non-essential. After all, someone might think we are (gasp!) un-productive. Being unproductive in our society is one of the worst social sins that can be committed. Productivity, according to the way our culture seems to operate, is anything that results in more money, the ability to have more possessions, or more fame (which should lead to more money).

We do not allow ourselves time to just be. And be-ing is very important. When we become so busy that taking time to ourselves to do nothing important seems like a sin, we lose some of who we are and should be. God created us to work and to rest. We should be able to recreate without guilt (Everything in moderation, of course). Resting helps us to stay in touch with what is real and what is important.

This is a problem for those in the working world as well as for those who stay home to raise children. In fact, there is often more pressure on a stay-at-home mom or dad to “prove” their worthiness to society. After all, the world thinks, they get to stay at home and play all day.

Anyone who has done this job knows the absurdity of that line of thinking. Staying home to raise children and care for a family is a multi-job job! It involves intense self-sacrifice and a great deal of grunt work. And usually a loss of prestige.

Taking time to enjoy life applies to the people who stay at home and to the people who work in the world. Work and rest form such a delicate relationship in the human life. One can not be fully appreciated without the other.

So, what exactly can children teach us in this matter? To take time, to make time, to enjoy the little things. The little things surround us, wait for us to discover them. If you have young children in your life, take time to simply be with them. Allow them to show you the simple joys of play, the wonders of the world from a child-view. Allow yourself to have that time, guilt-free, even if it is a whole day (another gasp!)

So go on! Have fun!( And just a hint, it takes a more delicate touch with the tongue bubbles than the lip ones!)

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