Good noises

Nobody likes noise, but there are some good kinds of noise, too. I notice it whenever kids are around, probably because I don’t have children. I don’t have to deal with their screaming and constant demands for attention 24/7. But as an objective observer, I think I know what I am saying—kids’ noise is good noise.

The aura in a room changes immediately when a child or two enters. They are so full of curiosity and energy. They are always on the move, playing with all sorts of things. They talk to you constantly and ask questions; they yell, and they scream. It is so much more fun when they are around. Their presence adds to the meaning of all that we do. I just love them.

Kids at camp house.

Kids playing Twister.

Little girls playing at Little Gobi in Mongolia

Yours Truly with Team 2 on Sports Day.

I fear for children if they are too quiet. I wonder whether their lives are miserable. Once, I was waiting in line with a young couple and their daughter. The 4- or 5-year-old was simply too quiet. I watch children whenever they are around, and I watched this child while I waited for the bus. She hardly moved at all. During the 20 minutes I waited for transportation, the girl changed her posture only slightly. She was standing too still, and talking with her parents too little. (I believe they were the parents). They, on the other hand, were talking nonstop. Finally, when she did move, walking a couple of steps toward their luggage to touch it and perhaps play with it, she was stopped by the two adults. It was only when they got onto the bus and the woman seemed to show that she cared about that little girl that my heart could rest. Otherwise, I would have carried on thinking of her.

Whenever kids are around, there are sounds of laughter. The world will lose its luster if, in our aging society, there are fewer children.

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

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.