“Mommy, where are the baby bears” she wanted to know while peering down at two grown bears enjoying a meal of fish. Perhaps she was thinking of the story of mama-bear, papa-bear and the naughty baby-bear – a bed time tale I have repeated to her numerous times over the past two years.

How beautiful is a child’s world. How spontaneous and captivating. Everyday there is something new to discover, to experience. Only children will joyously splash in pools of water when it rains. When snow is falling, they are out there, frolicking, expressing their creativity making snowmen. They look up at the night sky on a clear day and count the stars; they stare at a full moon and try to spot the figure of a rabbit supposed to be etched on it. At the beach, they make sand castles. They are thrilled with camp-fires. Fireflies fascinate them. The faded rag doll or worn-out teddy is their most precious belonging and no expensive toy can replace them.

Kids really know the art of taking one-day-at-a-time. Without the help of some guru or analyst, they somehow know how to be enjoying the moment; no brooding about the past or anxiety about the future. There’s so much to see, learn, enjoy, experience - now!

And what’s remarkable about kids is that they do not hide their feelings. They smile when they are happy; sulk when they are punished; cry when they fall. I think openly expressing their emotions also makes them mentally healthy. You cannot accuse kids of being hypocritical, can you?

I remember as a kid, on many a summer day, watching white clouds roll by like balls of feather of different shapes and sizes. I spotted castles, cats, dogs, even a wicked witch on a broomstick, floating silently, so high up in the sky. But today, I hardly look up at the sky, except to check the weather. I cannot fathom what happened to me along the road to adulthood.

Children remind us to enjoy the simple things in life – there is no price-tag, but they are priceless. They make us happy and glad to be alive.