joy

My Little One and I went walking last week. Well, I walked and she slept. It was a beautiful afternoon – the sun had just broken through rain clouds. And since we had been cooped up all morning, we had a little extra bounce in our step.

It was after.school.time and coming towards us were a dad and two littlies. The first was holding her dad’s hand and talking intently. The other was ahead of her family, dancing. She was turning and leaping, her hands raised high and her head thrown back. Oblivious to everything but her joy.

As we got closer and closer, she kept swirling and twirling. But then suddenly her dad barked at her to stop. STOP! And she immediately snapped back into the world.of.boringness where kids walk straight and keep their eyes open.

oh! [I wanted to shout]. Keep dancing! It was beautiful! Close your eyes! Dance away!

[But she’d already been taken over by The Shoulds].

Tags: baby love, happiness, joy, mindfulness, should