Scooters

This week my kids got a scooter. They are having a blast taking turns and riding around, learning a new skill that will not only bring them enjoyment but increase their gross motor abilities. (P.S. The heir enjoyed his scooter so much he assigned me to write about it). We'll soon have a second scooter so that they can play on their own, but for now they are having a lot of fun sharing.

Shopping for a scooter, however, was a different experience. Going to the Big Blue Store can sometimes introduce some worldliness into lives as we are surrounded by the Stuff our society depends us. We could have bought some really cool scooters, name brand ones that look really sharp, but did we really need that? We could have bought bikes and trikes, extra cool helmets with spikes sticking out of them, or ten thousand other cheap consumer goods we are tempted to buy.

In the world we've created for ourselves, we are often intent on possessing stuff just so others can see that we have it. We want the best and most of everything; unfortunately, in the scramble to possess the best of this and that, we often miss the values that will actually make us happier. Money, in the end, can buy a great many things in the world, but it can't buy the things we all need most. What we need to do is accept the simple gifts in our lives, learn to share, and enjoy learning some new skills.

These will not be the end to scooters, or bikes, or other toys, but I hope the attitude can stay. I hope my children will keep being pleased by the simple gifts in their lives, for it is the gifts that stretch and grow them that will be the longest lasting.