Let the good times roll

On this Friday afternoon in October, I am thinking about how we sometimes miss opportunities to play. Not all the time, but some of the time and I remember early in Sept we were the only group in the restaurant and we were sitting after golfing, in deep conversation about life and how the game went. My friend jumped up and ran over to the bar, where the waitress was getting our drinks, and said, “Please turn up the music, this is my favorite song.” She did.  My friend jumped with glee and then started dancing and singing to the song.

Just before this event, we were talking about how we all hoped we would never grow old and be like a great many seniors who are jaded and bitter at the hand life has dealt them. We agreed that this would not happen to any of us.

Now I have distorted the image, but I hope I can keep the spirit that my friend shows alive until I am ready to depart this planet. Life is good, make the best of any situation, and play like my friends and I do on occasion.

Let the music play

I was watching the children (ages 3 to 7) running around the yard as I was setting up the food to be barbecued. A young man, who is getting married in a few months came over and said, “Wow, I thought that children don’t know how to play anymore. I thought that they were all tied to their screens, and don’t know how to amuse themselves.  I am amazed that these children are playing.”

I stopped what I was doing and watched for a while, the children were playing a variation of hide and seek and tag. They looked like they were having a good time.

A while later, I went into the house and heard a form of music coming from the front room. Many of our guests were musicians and there were a number of guitars, banjos and bongo drums in the living room, awaiting the adults to start a jam session. While the children decided to create their own music and told me with excitement that they had formed a band. I asked them to play a song and they did, it was full of excitement and noise, and there was not one note of harmony but they were very serious and shrieked with delight when I and the other adults applauded.

Children of all ages love music, and the music speaks to all of us. A 2016 study at the University of Southern California’s Brain and Creativity Institute found that musical experiences in childhood can actually accelerate brain development, particularly in the areas of language acquisition and reading skills. No great melodies or harmonies were created that day, but the sounds that were created came from the heart. These children played and sang and they appeared to enjoy playing and singing just to be playing and singing. They aren’t self-conscious about their ability and most are eager to let their music roar. As we watched we could see that they were trying very hard to use rhythms with a definite beat.

If adults get out of the way, children will play, they will take advantage of the things in their surroundings and figure out what to do and they will make up games. Picking up an instrument can also help children break out of their social shell. The children did not know each other and I sensed that by picking up and becoming involved in creating a musical group or ensemble, they were learning important life skills. I watched as a leader emerged, and how they helped each other. They were learning to relate to others, how to work as a team and appreciate the rewards that come from working together, and the development of leadership skills and discipline.

The children enjoyed themselves, and while some of the adults were amazed that the children could play without a screen, proud parents watched and listened to the joy of the music created in the moment by their children.

CENTENARIANS: the fastest growing age group

I am amazed at this fact, and it bodes well for all of us who are not quite 100 but one day hope to be, that is if you are a woman. Men are not quite healthy enough to make it to 100 in the same number that women are
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Salute those 100 years and older —centenarians are the fastest-growing age group in Canada. The 2016 census counted 8,230 centenarians, an increase over the 2011 figures and the numbers are predicted to grow in the future, said Laurent Martel of Statistics Canada in July this year.
“It’s mostly due to an increase in life expectancy. Canadians are living longer,” Martel said. Only 19% of centenarians are men.

There is a continuum of attention

 Aa few days ago, I found myself walking near sunset.  The view was impressive and I stopped to take a memory picture). Once I was happy, I continued.  But then I turned around and noticed two people on the opposite side of the path from me. They were standing with their arms around each other's shoulders just watching the sun set.

 It really hit me at a deep level. I saw as sunset not event but not important, and was content to move on. They were actually watching the SUN SET as an event that was important..

I was celebrating the sunset (as a thing) they were participating in the setting of the sun (as an event).

It made me think there's a continuum of attention.

• Unaware - like most of the people walking past the sunset, not giving it a second glance.
• Appreciating - like the man who saw me take my picture, looked at the sunset and smiled as he kept walkin 
• Celebrating - like I was doing by stopping to take a picture
• Participating - like the couple was doing.

Now I want you to think for a moment about your relationships and this continuum of attention.

Maybe you never really think about occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and mother's/father's day.

Maybe you appreciate the people in your life, but you're often too busy to do anything about it.

Maybe you celebrate them by getting them a card and/or gift on the special days

Maybe you make time to actually include them in your life and to participate more deeply in theirs.

(Of course, every relationship is different and I'm not trying to tell you what you should be doing - I just want you to think about it.)

So back to the sunset... once I realized that these people were just standing there watching the sun go down, I turned and did the same.

It only took a few minutes before the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the sunrise and sunset happen and it always makes me think about how quickly time is passing. And of course, that makes me think.  The next time a thing happens to you can you think of it as an event?