Boy, there was a lot of grumbling about snow today. So many adults talking about grown up things like driving, and making flights, and getting to work.

I like to think that I’m a grown up too (insert joke here), but you’re all a bunch of party poopers. Yes, we all have responsibilities, but there’s no reason we can’t have a little fun.

Getting annoyed at the snow won’t change the weather. In 1992, the city of Syracuse, NY, tried to make snow illegal. It didn’t work, and probably led to some grumpy Syracusians. They would have been better off trying to enjoy themselves.

So say the Serenity Prayer and accept the snow you cannot change. Because when we accept our circumstances and to try to enjoy the moment, we open ourselves up to our Inner Child.

The Inner Child refers to the childlike qualities of our personality, such as play, dreams, creativity, spontaneity, and imagination. Tapping into the inner child helps us nurture these qualities, even if we didn’t fully develop these qualities as children.

I’ve written before about the importance of silliness, which is really the importance of play. As adults, we often have fun in grown up ways: playing on our electronic devices, talking with friends, or watching TV or movies. While these may be some sort of fun, they don’t help us tap into our inner joy in the way that play can.

So go outside. Build a snowman. Get out the sled. Have a snowball fight. Have some good ‘ol wintery fun.

Or, if you don’t live on the East Coast, play Quelf. It’s almost as good as snow.

Shimmy Feintuch, LCSW CASAC-G maintains a private practice in Brooklyn, NY, and Washington Heights, NYC, with specialties in addictions and anxiety. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. Contact: (530) 334-6882 or shimmyfeintuch@gmail.com. 

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