Children's Laughter

The feeling of fall is felt from all around.

Humidity has just about disappeared... temperature is dropping to the point where I can leave my window open everday all day... and the sun is setting earlier and earlier.

But, besides the environment... there is also signs of fall shown by the children themselves.

It seems that with a cooler and nicer climate, the children are all full of laughter. During the summer... the kids were too drained to do too much playing. During the winter... the kids are too cold to want to do anything.

It's around the time of spring and fall that the kids are free to be themselves... and this is when you are able to hear the children's laughter the most.

Children's laughter is one of the best things to witness.

Today during recess... I was too tired to actually play outside with the children. I think the lack of sleep this past weekend has affected me this whole week... so, I've been tired and sluggish all week.

So, I decided to just stay inside and watch the kids play from the balcony of the second floor. I didn't exactly put a conscious thought to it... I just found myself there kind of staring into the distance.

It hit me suddenly how nice it was hearing and seeing the kids all around playing around and laughing.

I don't know what exactly it was about the experience... but, something inside of me felt warm and at peace.

I've concluded that it might have to do with two specific things: I was reminiscing of my childhood and how it is being a child in general... and, I was thinking about when I'd have my own children.

Being around kids all day is such a wonderful thing. You get to see such pure innocence... the laughter being the main symbol of this innocence.

For some reason, the laughter of adults doesn't sound the same as the laughter of children... and I think the main reason for that is because the kids see the world differently.

I can't say my life is at a point where it's difficult... but, I do have decisions that have to be made. These decisions aren't easy to make... the answers usually come by themselves after days/weeks/months of thinking.

The main question I'm trying to find an answer to is whether or not to renew my contract this upcoming March.

Oh, but children don't have to worry about that. Usually parents are in charge of important questions/decisions like that. All children have to worry about is what flavor ice cream they want... whether or not they should do their homework... what toy/game they want to play with... how they can get away with not cleaning.

I guess part of me longs to be able to live in such a stress-free point of life again. Looking back at it... I kind of wonder if I could've enjoyed my innocent days as a child a little more and taken better advantage of it.

But, honestly... regardless of the answer to that question... I don't actually wish to relive it. I'm happy with where I stand in life at the moment... even with the stressful decisions looming over me.

Other than helping me relive my childhood... I guess the children's laughter make me wonder about my own children in the future.

Being an elementary "teacher" has been such a wonderful experience. I feel this close connection to my students... and I know the children feel the same with me. Imagine the kind of connection I'll be able to have with my own children... something I brought into this world. The best thing a person can possibly create.

I can only hope... whenever the time comes... that I will be able to make the right decisions and choices for my children... that way they can enjoy their childhood and I can continue to experience the beautiful laughter of children... but from a closer perspective.