We spend most of our lives trying to remember what we knew as children.

This was a comment, or statement, said to me whilst out walking with an amazing group of people on the most recent View Over the Wall Experience.

What an amazing statement it is too.

Just think about it for a minute.

When was the last time you just stopped and watched children playing, and seriously gave your attention to understanding the way they think and behave?  It’s fascinating, engrossing and totally worth every minute.

Here’s a brief insight into some of the thinking that goes on.

Briefly, lets look at

• Belief
• Fears
• Independence of environment.

Belief

It has often been said that children would make the greatest entrepreneurs, and I BELIEVE it’s true.

Whatever young children decide to do in play, they do.  Whether its build massive walls, be a superhero, fight dragons, be a spaceman, princess or a jet fighter pilot.  A few props and they are there.  They work out the plot, (how do they do that?), they’ll encourage anyone willing to join in, to do so.  They don’t mind who joins in either.

They never think I can’t do that, or it’s not possible.  They don’t chase perfection before they do something. A tent can be a castle, a box, a car or a horse, or they become the object themselves.  I remember my nephew ‘being’ a train whilst we were out walking.  He stopped and wouldn’t move. When I asked him why, as I hadn’t stopped, he replied, ‘Well the signals down.’ I apologised for not stopping and he said, ‘That’s alright, you’re not a train.’

Awesome.

Fears.

Young children are only afraid of two things, falling and loud noises.  That’s all!

Really.  And so were you once.

Potentially necessary for self-preservation.  Everything else you have learnt as you ‘grew’ up.

Whether that’s spiders, bees, the dark, open spaces, enclosed spaces. Fear of failure, fear of what other people think, fear of ridicule, fear of missing out, fear of not being able to pay the bills, fear of losing your smart phone, fear of something disastrous happening and not being able to put it on social media, fear of losing your job, fear of getting cold and wet and I’m pretty sure there are some that are personal to you too. 

Even fear of the time you lose while dwelling on all these things that we worry about.

Independence of Environment.

Children, especially younger ones seem to be impervious to getting wet and cold too.  I know that being warm and dry we think of as a basic human need, but children focussed on whatever they are doing at the time seem to be impervious to both.  Whilst when we pick them up they feel wet and cold, they are perfectly happy whilst engaged in the task at hand.

Children exist now, they don’t spend the time catastrophising about tomorrow cased on their interpretation of yesterday.  That is also a skill learned as we grow up.

There’s also no need to go for a quick fix to hide from issues with a quick fix by whatever addiction that’s chosen…

So, where is the best place to off load all these trappings of adult hood? 

One option that’s close by and simple, is outside in the countryside, unencumbered with all the conditioning we burden ourselves with.  And maybe with a little guidance, to ‘look’ at the world in a slightly healthier manner, and then make some better choices! If you so choose.

You probably should bring appropriate clothing though.  We’ll provide you with food to eat!

Simon Pollard, Countryman and Modern Day Pagan