Today I went to an event to showcase the Happos (a cartoon about a blue family of Hippos on Boomerang) but it was at a water park and it was as I was floating down a waterway that it got me thinking a bit about life lately.
The Happos are really cute by the way. They live in a safari park but get up to the funnest adventures when the gates close. They also don’t really talk much but tend to make grunting noises and gestures. I guess this is why they appeal to the younger set.
Anyway we went to the activation, took a few pics, had some food and Nicky also did some dancing (a bit later after we’d done the rides) with the Happos trying to imitate their steps. I think he looks really cute.
For some reason this outing started out as a bit of a lonely one. I didn’t recognise anyone there and I keenly missed having someone to carry my stuff and take pictures, as Brett would have done. I mean, he did not always come to events with me, but anyway, I felt that absence. But I was determined to turn the situation around so I went back to the front desk to get a locker key for my stuff and immerse myself in the water with Nicky. Because sometimes you have to join in on the action without recording it.
We went to one of the kiddie pools and Nicky had fun with a huge ring floaty. I think he was a bit overwhelmed to walk up the steps to the slide but once I carried it up for him and he slid down, he confidently went up the next few times by himself and had a load of fun.
I was keen to do the river one so off we went and joined the queue with our huge floaty that both Nicky and I could fit in.
I really enjoyed this experience of floating down the river with Nicky. It was really a fun time. I also got to thinking about how life is a journey like this. Sometimes you just have to go with the ebb and flow, the ups and downs.
Other times you get stuck. We did get stuck a few times. There were workers there that helped us get going again, as well as other people floating by that gave us a push. I also used my arms as oars a few times as well.
I was thinking, in life you get stuck. And people do help you. And you can help yourself too.
But going down that river, there were a few times we went backwards, which I find a bit scary, but Nicky LOVED it. “Please can we go backwards?” he would say.
So I really like to see where I am going and I don’t like being stuck. But at the moment I feel like I am either stuck or going backwards. I really think it’s insightful that with Nicky’s childlike enjoyment of life’s journey, he isn’t scared of going the wrong way or getting stuck. He is just enjoying the journey.
He is content with the ebb and flow of life. I wish I could be too…
The Happos Family airs Mondays to Fridays at 09h05 CAT on Boomerang, DStv channel 302, and can also be found on YouTube. There is also an app now: The Happos Family Playtime app offers children, aged 4-6, the chance to have fun and play through exploration and simple problem solving.
Children can be such great teachers, their innocence and ability to truly flow with wherever life lands them is amazing. And though you may not feel as though you are as amenable to the flow, I think you’re pretty darn incredible because you’re in the water. So many would spend the rest of their life on the safe shore, you have the courage to risk getting stuck and going backwards, no matter how scary or disconcerting. Because of that courage I have no doubt that you will find the flow again, in time.