Lately I've been thinking about some very important questions

Just kidding. I haven't been doing anything of the sort.

Instead, I've been writing papers and itching to get outside. I've been slacklining in a park more and more frequently, now that the weather is starting to be downright estival. The park has two playgrounds, soft grass and a number of well-spaced trees. It's calm and shady and frequently filled with mothers and their young children, especially on Wednesday when elementary school does not meet. So I go to this park when I have an hour or two and set up a slackline. The not-so-subtle gawking starts as soon as I start rigging up the line.

"Look!" One kid might whisper.
"What's he doing?"

And after I've walked back and forth a few times, there's a crowd, about three deep and five wide, of small, smiling children watching me intently. I fall off.

"Are you with the circus?" One would ask.
"Nope. I just do this for fun. Wanna try?" I offer.
"Oh! no...."
"You sure? It's easy. I'll hold your hand."
And after a shake of the head from the kid, I return to the line and walk a few more laps.

I like the idea of the child at play. In the park, I feel like I'm witness to the best moments. The whiny, tired, crying and irritating child does not appear - instead, I only see the smiles. The mothers chat with each other while gently rocking their strollers back and forth, old people make slow laps around the park punctuated by the sound of canes and heavy breathing. The atmosphere is overwhelmingly positive.

It's a nice reminder, thinking about children in the context of park, non-park. A metaphor, if you like.

Go to the park, play, be happy. Pick up a stick and pretend it's a fishing pole. Watch the circus guy walk his tightrope. Kick the soccer ball around with dad, play on the monkey bars while grandmother worries that you're going to hurt yourself. Leave the discomfort and the whining at home.

All you have to do, really, is find a park that's fun to play in and go there as often as possible.