“Ooooo it’s cozy in here!” My daughter exclaims while she climbs into a box to play. We bought her a more luxurious one to help her organize her little stuffed animals.
Upon my wife filling it in a nice orderly way, my daughter ripped the top off and began throwing her toys—one by one—behind her like a madman.
She immediately jumped in and decided that she wanted to spend some time in this enclosed space.
Lots of kids do many similar things as they grow and develop. Her fascination with emptying out boxes just to crawl in them got me thinking.
Since having a child, my mind is constantly in wanderlust about how certain behaviors of a child would look as an adult.
This one resonated with me because kids like playing in boxes, but it seems as soon as another box becomes available they change their minds in an instant.
The next box is newer, bigger, more colorful and more in-tact, perhaps.
I thought about this as it relates to us chasing our different desires in life. Our bigger box comes in the form of homes, vehicles, technology, etc.
This is something that is embedded in our psyche naturally at a young age.
There’s this appeal to look at certain things we have and appreciate them unless or until there is something to compare them to.
Without a doubt this mindset can be used for good things. It motivates us, inspires us, and can push us toward a higher potential.
But there are also drawbacks. If we’re constantly searching for the next thing, we can easily overlook something valuable.
In my daughter’s case, the bigger box felt necessary for the organization of her toys. In my case, I’m not so sure the bigger box is always necessary anymore.
Sometimes the box that has consistently served us well will do just fine.
We’ll said. It’s amazing how much time and effort we put into acquiring when what we have is useful and plentiful.