The Playful Four: A Story of Friendship and Imagination

                                                        Photo by: Sital Rijal

What is childhood? We often romanticize it, yearning to return to simpler times, but do we truly remember what it was like to be a child? Didn't we long to grow up, to work, to behave like the adults we admired?

I found myself pondering these questions as I watched four young kids playing with a homemade wooden car in the muddy streets of Ramdhuni, Sunsare, Nepal. The energy between them was vibrant, their laughter and shouts filling the air. The little boy who owned the car was the center of attention, and I approached them with a smile, curious to learn their names.

But as I spoke, the boy with the wooden car suddenly burst into tears as his friend tried to take it from him. I then asked the boy, to share his toy with me, which was a definite NO. I worried I had upset them and tried to ease the tension, but they remained wary and teasing, reluctant to open up to a stranger.

I tried to make them more comfortable talking to me, but they didn’t want to but were amusing me by speaking sometimes. And once, I got the chance I told them a simple story about sharing.

 “Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Dikshya who loved playing with her toys. She had a vast collection of dolls, stuffed animals, and games. She would spend hours alone, arranging and rearranging them, imagining different scenarios and adventures.

One day, Dikshya's mom invited her friend's daughter, Sophie, over to play. Sophie was a shy girl and didn't bring any toys with her. Dikshya eagerly showed her all her toys, but Sophie seemed hesitant to play with them.

Dikshya noticed Sophie's reluctance and asked her if she wanted to play with any of the toys. Sophie hesitated and said that she didn't bring any toys with her. Dikshya didn't want Sophie to feel left out, so she offered to share her toys with her.

Slowly but surely, Sophie began to relax and started playing with Dikshya. They created a world of their own, imagining different scenarios and adventures. They laughed and giggled, lost in their own little world of play.

Dikshya was happy to see Sophie having so much fun, even though she didn't bring any toys with her. She realized that sometimes, all it takes to have fun is a little imagination and a willingness to play with others.

Together, they learned that playing with toys wasn't just about having things to play with, but also about sharing and having fun with friends.”

As soon as I finished recounting the story, the boys' eyes lit up with excitement and they jumped up from the ground, their laughter ringing through the air. The boy with the wooden car clutched it tightly to his chest as he dashed towards his home.

Although they left so suddenly, I couldn't help feeling grateful for the chance to capture their joyous faces in photographs before I shared the story with them. Their playful energy and carefree spirit reminded me of childhood's beauty and its precious memories.

As I watched them disappear into the distance, I started questioning myself,  Did childhood mean being carefree, Did childhood mean doing what makes you happy?

And Do I have the courage to be a child?