Reader Advocates For More Time Spent Outdoors

Yes, our smart phones, TVs, and computer games are great inventions — but let’s not allow them to distance us from Mother Nature or deprive us of the joy of movement. – Courtesy photo

Dear Editor,

Sadly, television has become the lobotomy of children’s imagination. Before its advent, we played outdoors and created our own games. We played Tag-You’re-It, Pirates, Cowboys and Indians – or whatever games we made up.

In those days there was no adult-supervised structured recreation for children. We had no soccer practice, no little league – nothing. We just played.

And while we played, away from the watchful eyes of our parents, anarchy reigned supreme! We chased each other, scampered up trees, jumped over puddles, and played tricks on each other. Oh, what fun!

Olivia Chiang’s article, together with the captivating picture of a little girl jumping with glee, is a fitting example of how communion with nature beneath the open sky will make us healthier.

I, for one, find that when I move with nature’s rhythm and flow with her soothing current, all thoughts of anxiety vanish from my mind during those blissful moments of serenity.

Yes, our smart phones, TVs, and computer games are great inventions – but let’s not allow them to distance us from Mother Nature or deprive us of the joy of movement.

–David Quintero
Monrovia

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