May
7
- A ten-year-old’s wisdom
Every now and then, you have an “Ah-Ha!” moment- one that gives you a true glimpse at the philosophical side of life. I had one this week, when I discovered a hand-written list in my ten-year-old daughter’s school bag.
It was a list that one of her friends, Kaitlin Hards, had given her on how to be happy. I read it over and over again. I even hung it up on our fridge. I am amazed that a child that young can have a wisdom that old. And after speaking with Kaitlin’s mom about it, I’ve received permission to share it with you.
KEYS TO BEING HAPPY, by Kaitlin Hards, 10 yrs old
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Try not to get in trouble at school. I’m not sure how Kaitlin learned this one, but it sure is true!
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Make sure you have lots of things to do after school. Boredom is the enemy of happiness.
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Make sure you have friends. I love the fact that she is taking ownership of nurturing relationships- nice!
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Try to be friendly around your teacher. A positive outlook always helps, at school and everywhere else.
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Be nice to parents. We sure can make their lives miserable when they aren’t nice, can’t we?
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Be happy on holidays. What struck me about this one was that she understands that being happy is a conscious decision that we make. You go, girl!
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Don’t worry about too many things. This is true, but tough to do. I wonder if I could get her to write an essay on the subject?
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Be causouse. Being cautious can certainly help you avoid costly mistakes that can diminish your happiness. But I’m sure that some day she’ll learn that taking calculated risks can add to your happiness too.
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Study hard/ Work hard. I loved this one! So much of our satisfaction in life comes from a job well done. Not only can it make you happy in the short term, but it helps to create a brighter future, too!
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Get at least five hours of rest. While I might need a little more sleep than Kaitlin does to function, I applaud her understanding that taking care of ourselves is paramount to our happiness. If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.
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Try not to dislike people as much. Well, I just about fell over when I read this one. How on Earth does a ten-year-old girl understand that our negative perceptions of people harm us? Its okay to not be friends- you don’t have to like everybody- but don’t put a lot of anger and negative energy into thinking about them. Wow.
And the final, most inspirational advice on Kaitlin’s list:
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Be happy about what you have.
Thank you , Kaitlin.
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