I was talking to a friend the other day who is preparing her backyard for so many great things - garden, gazebo, shed, trampoline, play area for her children. While I am thrilled for her, it leaves me feeling sad for the things our kids are missing out on - like a yard to play in. While talking to her, I was reminded that we may not have a yard, but it doesn't mean our kids are growing up deprived. We live in a very safe complex where our 7yr olds can ride bikes all over without worry of being taken, without worry of being hit. We live on the 2nd floor so when the twins friends come out front and call out "An Jue, Li Sha, come play with us!" they can reply from the window. Kids actually come calling on the twins. The kids in the complex will meet in the "exercise park" and play - without toys, without trampolines, without slides, without swings. They play with balls, rollerblades, scooters, pogo sticks, bikes and their imagination! Back to the basics. They really aren't missing anything. If anything, they have gained freedom and the joy of just playing.
Our teens had the opportunity to grow up with a yard - and restrictions on where they could go. They are finding joy and fun in other ways now. Bike riding around town. Going for walks. Strolling the mall. Hanging out together. Watching movies together when the rest of us are out. Staying up to midnight playing Xbox or playing on iPods. But if you ask them, no, they aren't friends. They have a relationship they never would've had if we were still living in Airdrie.
So, are my kids "deprived"? No. They aren't.
We all have joy living here. We wouldn't change things for the world. This is our life. Finding joy in the everyday things. Focusing on the joy. Like when I show up to work last Thursday morning expecting to join in with "my kids" education class only to find out that the teacher took the day off to extend her long weekend. I was up early, no workout, and at work on a day I usually work from home. Was I upset? Yeah, a little. But I got to see the kids. I got to see their faces light up when they saw me. Joy. Their joy in seeing me turned me feeling upset into joy.
Life is crazy here, everywhere. We have to be intentional on finding the joy. Surrounded by concrete buildings, I find the joy in the tree-lined streets creating a canopy over the road. Finding joy in early morning rides with little traffic. Joy in being able to use our language skills more. Joy when you watch a movie and there is a scene with Chinese people and they speak Chinese and then your twins say "Look! They are Chinese!" and then you ask if they know what they said and without thinking your twins say "wo xiang qu! I want to go!"
Finding the joy in unexpected days like today. Pancake breakfast with the whole family (even both teens got up to join in!) and then spending the afternoon outside having a family water balloon fight and then the kids biking and running around the complex together.
Finding joy isn't always easy, but it's always there. You just have to look for it.
