Play.

Imagine.

Adventure.

Experiment.

Discover.

Play.

It's not a luxury to be done only if you have time, squeezed in between hours of structured, adult-directed activities designed to enrich our children's lives.

I'm talking about the unstructured freedom of childhood. 

It's necessary. Vital.

Magical.

Sometimes you just need to be King of the Hill. Spontaneously. Without coaching. You. Must. Conquer. All. 

"I sound my barbaric YAWP over the rooftops of the world."

Sometimes you find the perfect stick just lying around and you know you must do battle against your foes.

"To struggle against great odds! to meet enemies undaunted!"

Sometimes you need to slop paint around on paper with no objective other than figuring out what it feels and looks like when you do it. Sometimes the result doesn't have to be something pretty to hang on the wall. But you can still hang it on the wall. Because it's awesome.

"The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity."

Sometimes you have to run, to kick, to compete. With yourself. With each other. With an unstoppable force you have no hope of defeating. And hope anyway.

"Have you heard that it was good to gain the day? I also say it is good to fall, battles are lost in the same spirit in which they are won."

Sometimes you just have to jump in and dive deep. To soak up the joy that is life and sunshine and water.

"To dance, clap hands, exult, shout, skip, leap, roll on, float on"

Sometimes you have to spread your building materials all around you and build. Create. Imagine. Design for yourself a new universe.

"From this hour I ordain myself loos'd of limits and imaginary lines."

Sometimes you need to stand in awe. Of the size of the bus which is stuck in the mud. Of the tractor which is pulling it out. Of the farmer who has suddenly become your hero. You need to realize that heroic deeds come from a generous heart. And a tractor can help.

"And there is no trade or employment but the young man following it may become a hero"

Sometimes you need to stop and smell the roses. The sunflowers. The dandelions. You need to go out of your way to find unexpected and beautiful experiences.

"Give me odorous at sunrise a garden of beautiful flowers where I can walk undisturbed."

Sometimes you need to stop what you are doing and pick up that beetle so you can get a better look at it. You need to marvel at its antennae, its six little legs, its iridescent exoskeleton. You need to feel the tickle as it crawls across your bare skin. You need to learn to have a gentle touch as you admire creation.

"As to me, I know of nothing else but miracles."

Sometimes you just need to be allowed to roam free and in the wild. To be the Wild Things that your heart longs to be.

"O to have life henceforth a poem of new joys!"

Sometimes you need to realize that there truly is a Walt Whitman quote for everything.