Fourth of July

By Amanda Pasciucco, Marriage and Family Therapist

On holidays such as July 4, the fireworks can bring me right back to the sense of awe I experienced when I was younger. The colors, the explosions, and the excitement of wondering what comes next always bring me right back to that sense of young innocence. I find myself free of anxious energy and right back to a sense of calm and excitement. The important lesson we can all learn from this experience? There is something magical about the innocence of a child.

Of course, we all have responsibilities. However, did you ever notice that young children can have so much fun doing absolutely nothing? While adults fret and worry when they have “nothing going on,” children take full advantage of the present moment they live in. After observing numerous children, I realize that the biggest gift we can learn from our children is entertaining ourselves simply through using our imaginations.

Children live in a realm of creativity that many teenagers and adults cannot conceive of. Take time to observe your children or young family members and notice the way they do not let their environment or outside factors affect their sense of self. Adults can ruin their whole day by letting one comment or judgment affect them, yet young children dismiss comments due to their focus on themselves and their world. Imagine the amount of stress we could eliminate if we solely had the innocence of a child for just a few moments a day!

Recognize the joy in your life. No matter how stressful and difficult things are, take a few minutes each day to use your imagination and simply enjoy yourself. A few positive and carefree moments can greatly affect the quality of your day to day life.

Happy Fourth of July!