An open letter to ...

The grumpy old people around town. 

Dear Fun Suckers, 

I see you watching me as I play on the slide with my brothers, frowning behind your daggy sun glasses. I see you scolding me as we roll down hills, staining our clothes with the deep green of the wet grass. I hear you scoff as Maiya and I dance in the aisles of the supermarket to tacky 80's songs. I see your looks of disapproval as we giggle in restaurants - sometimes laughing so hard that we choke and tears stream from our eyes. And as my brother and I are walking through the park I see your criticism as we jump in the puddles, completely saturating our clothes and shoes.

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Yes, I have thought immensely about when is a good time to grow up. When is the right time to be serious, and to appreciate things like crocheted tea pot covers? When should I stop laughing so much that a little bit of wee comes out? Is eighteen really the age I should grow up? Says who? 

You??

I have reached a conclusion. 

WHY should anyone have to grow up? Why do I have to become serious and boring, and wear frumpy clothes and sensible shoes. I have decided that life is too short, and that the only way to get through all the bad things that happen is to focus on the good. It is hard to cry tears of anger, frustration and self pity when you are too busy laughing at yourself for farting at the traffic light and proclaiming it loudly so that everyone in a five car radius hears you and turns your way.

All you cold hearted people out there, it is time to see that the world is a fun place to be. Life is all about loving and laughing. It is about having fun, and not growing old before your time. 

I love to laugh. I live to laugh. 

I happen to like licking lolly pops until my tongue is rainbow and dancing in the rain. I happen to like smooching in the leaves, and turning it into a leaf fight. I happen to like playing on the swings and pretending that I can fly, jumping in puddles and riding scooters. I happen to like picking flowers just to make someone smile. 

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I am sorry if these things offend you, fuddy duddies, but I think they are fun. It is the little things in life such as these that make me happy. They make me smile. You are just fun suckers if you ask me not to eat ice cream for breakfast. When did my diet become your concern?

You may tsk tsk and huff at us, and mutter about "the youth of today" under your breaths. But take a closer look at the youths of today. We are having fun. We are celebrating life. We are rejoicing in the brilliance of the world. We are happy! 

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So next time you think about telling us to slow our scooters down, or to blow smaller bubbles with our gum, think about what you are doing. You were young once. What made you grow up so quickly? Don't you remember Peter Pan? It's time his philosophy on life came back into play. 

Sometimes it's ok to laugh really loud. It is ok to have a paint fight. It is ok to eat chocolate cake for breakfast. And it is ok to not take life so seriously. Sometimes it is ok not to "grow up". 

So, next time I see you, scowling and frowning at me, I am going to sing louder, ride my scooter faster, blow HUGE bubbles with my gum, and jump in every puddle that I see. Stand back - I might even splash you! You can give me your condemning stares, and frown your biggest frown. You can purse your lips like you're sucking a lemon and make tutting noises. But as for me?

I'm going to fly back to Neverland. 

Yours sincerely, 

Peter Pan Jr.

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