I recently started reading The Secret Garden (I owned it when I was a kid and found it when I was packing up to move). The 10 year old little girl who is the main character is entertained and happy just by being outside, skipping rope, looking at gardens and animals, and working on her own garden. She found her own mystery and used her imagination. She was delighted by the fact a robin sung to her.

Reading this really makes me sad because kids today aren’t like that. If you give them a skipping rope and tell them to go play outside they’ll look at you like you’re an idiot, whip out their smartphone or go get on the computer, and just sit there and play online. Most of them probably don’t even know HOW to skip rope, or use their imagination. If a bird were to light near them and sing they would probably just get annoyed because it would be making noise so they couldn’t hear whatever cartoon they’re watching or game they’re playing on their mobile device.

Of course, this book is set in the 1900s and people didn’t have the technology we have today. I can’t help thinking they were a lot smarter and had a lot more common sense. I’m just as bad… when I was a kid I loved to play outside, but as an adult I spend almost all my free time sitting at the computer. What a waste. We need to make some changes.