The simple joy of children

I was travelling in Vienna with my sister and a friend. We were going around the city on board a tram, with no particular agenda, other than to view different parts of the city. It was a great way to sightsee. We were able to feel the ambiance associated with each section of the city we visited. As the scenes changed, so did the pace of life, as seen in people walking along the streets and vendors selling their produce and products in shops. We also noticed how differently people carried themselves as they went about their business.

It must have been close to 3 p.m. or so when the schools finished for the day and a bunch of kids hopped onto the tram. One of the children caught my attention. He must have been around 8 or 9 years of age. He had blonde hair and a big grin, and was chatting excitedly with his friends. In his hands, he held a model. I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about, but his body language told me he was excited about his creation. He was busy explaining to his buddies how it worked, oblivious to what was going on around him in the tram. It is always very charming to see people passionate about their thoughts and deeds.

I gestured to ask him if I could take a picture of him with his model. He nodded without a moment of hesitation, and held it up for me to snap a shot. His smile was genuine, not intentionally posed for the picture. He was not shy, and his behavior told me that he was very trusting of people (even strangers). It was natural for him to respond to a stranger’s request this way. His face made a deep and lasting impression on me.

He was happy to accommodate my request for a picture.

Another child enjoying one of life's simple pleasures.

Such genuine happiness in a simple joy in life – there are few things in the world that can compare to such purity. We can find it often in children, if we look closely enough. With age, we tend to lose such purity of heart more and more until, one day, it becomes a novelty to us when we see it.

I think we should add another developmental task in older age—to reinvent the purity of our hearts in order to rediscover the simple joys in life. I believe this could be the key to happiness and contentment in old age. At least I believe so for now.

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership (RNL), published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.