As most things on this site are, this is totally my opinion and isn’t based on fact. Well, there are at least some psychologists who agree with me, so maybe there is something to be said for the argument.
I sometimes find myself walking down the street, getting up off a chair, or just generally going about my regular daily activities and noticing that I’m doing some basic movements differently than I did when I was 10. I’ll walk on the grass instead of trying to balance on the small curb on the side of the road, for example. I’ve learned to catch myself when doing this, and have started to question why.
Is it really that dangerous to walk on the curb? Is it bad for my knees to slide toward the refrigerator while wearing socks in my kitchen? And why don’t I push the shopping cart and stand on the back anymore while it rolls forward?
Well actually… I do. Fun fact: the most convenient way to get from the Costco exit to your car is by pushing the cart and jumping on the back and riding it. I’ve beaten many boring adults to their cars this way, believe you me. I also hopped through a piece of scaffolding near my apartment the other day to get from the street on to the sidewalk.
I won’t get into why play is important for adults and children alike, but I do think it’s important to keep doing childish things in order to stay active, stay young, and stay interesting. I think that every once in a while, we should see how children go about their lives, living with less worry and care and neuroticism, and we should learn from them. Doing childish things will not only make you feel young, but will probably help you look it too.
Plus, who doesn’t want a grandpa who rides shopping carts?
Richard's Blog 