Joyful Noise

My dad told me yesterday he was happy a young family moved into the house across the street because once again his neighborhood is filled with the sound of children at play.

I too love the sound of the kids on our street playing outside on a spring day. I also love all the other sounds they make like crying for a bottle, squealing as they run from the waves and shouting at each other as if being louder will win the argument…or will it?

Even on an airplane, the sounds they make don’t trouble me. They are just being kids. Kids who don’t know why they must stay buckled into a chair for hours. It must be very frustrating to be held captive and not to understand why. In fact, when I hear a child screaming five hours into a flight, I am thinking “You said it, buddy, I feel the exact same way.”

There are also days when I have to use all of my "adult power" not to:

Hop around, wildly flapping my arms when I find a dollar bill in my coat pocket
or
Scream because I can’t have any dessert
or
Make faces at people during a meeting to try to make them laugh
or
Throw myself on the floor because I don’t want to go to the grocery store
or
Tell the airport security agent to, “Make me!” when he asks me to take off my shoes.

How delightful to be able to express what you are feeling. It is truly joyful noise!