BY: GARRY BLAIN
I had the pleasure recently, of helping plan and imple-
ment a Kids’ Ultimate Challenge…in short, a mudder …to benefit
the paediatric department at our local hospital.
An enthusiastic 260 kids aged four to thirteen ran, crawled, climbed, jumped
and wiggled their way though the course only to be doused with water from a
sprayer on the elevated boom on a fire truck at the finish line. Everyone received
a medal; there were no single winners; everyone was a winner. Awesome!
The kids had a blast, emotionally and literally…from the fire-hose. Adults at
the event were pumped and wanted to run the same course as the kids … no
harder, but just as much fun! You’ve never seen so many smiles in one day.
And why not? The event awakened that inner child in all who were there. For those
of us beyond puberty, the question is: has our definition of maturity robbed us of our
ability to play without being governed by the directives of adult society? How do
we get back to those feelings of enthusiasm, freedom, imagination …of pure joy?
Before we investigate the how, let’s look at the why. For some time now, researchers
in health and wellness have presented us with an overwhelming body of evidence
that indicates that people who claim to be happy, with a positive ou ????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????a?????)????d???????????????????????????????????????]??????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????()!I?I??\)MU MQ%=9L?)A??????A????????)????U???????????????????????????????????????????????%????????????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????q????????????t??????????+?q??????????t??!??????????q ????????e??????????????????????)?????????]????????????????????????Q?????????????????????????]?)?????????????????????????????????????????????????????p?????e??????)???????????????Q?????????????????????????????????????????????)??????$?????????????????????????????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????q??????)????t???????????????????????????????????????????????()Y?????????e?????????????)???????????????!???????)????????????????????????)??????????????????????????)????????????????M???????????()??????????????????()??????a??????d????????d???????)???????????I????????????)??????????????????????????)????????????????????????)?????????????????e???)??????????????????????)????????????e?????????????)A?????5????????e?????????()I????????????e??????()????QY