Today was the Little Girl’s first day of pre-school. She’ll only go two mornings a week, but still, this is the beginning of SCHOOL. We were both excited.
It’s a sunny, crisp day here in New York City, and I thought to myself, “Boy, it doesn’t get better than this,” as I pushed the stroller on our way there.
I’ve seen the argument that children don’t, in fact, add to people’s happiness. I don’t believe that. (I’m not arguing that people can’t be happy without children; of course they can.)
Children add to happiness for many reasons, but one way is that they help supply a key element to a happy life: an atmosphere of growth.
My First Splendid Truth is: To be happier, think about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right, in an atmosphere of growth.
No surprise, watching the growth of my children is exciting and gratifying. It’s thrilling to see them take each step forward.
But that’s not the only way they help provide “an atmosphere of growth.” Having children contributes to my growth, too. It requires me to learn new skills and new information. It puts me in contact with a new set of people; this morning I met a woman and her son who live on the corner of my block, whom I’d never seen before! It broadens my existence – would I know anything about Laurie Berkner, Ten Minutes Till Bedtime, or High School Musical if I didn’t have kids?
In keeping with family tradition, I took the Little Girl’s picture this morning, of her holding a sign that read, “First day of pre-school – September 18, 2007.” I do this on the last day each year, too. It occurred to me that before I knew it, three years would pass, and I’d be taking her picture with a sign saying “Last day of pre-school – June 2010.”
That’s the thing about life with children: the days are long, but the years are short. I want to revel in this first day, because in a flash, nursery school will be over.
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