Last month Julie of Les Petits Pas de Juls showed us what it’s like to drop everything, go absorb every ounce of life, and make your own way. In my monthly series, The Life Enthusiast Chronicles, gorgeous human beings from all over talk about what makes them excited to be alive.
Today I’m so happy to bring you guys this lovely gal I know all the way in Dubai, Zen from Zen Scribbles. Zen has been one of my faves for a long time. When I read her posts, it’s like seeing life for the first time. With her delightful views on books, chocolate, and more reading, and more dessert, her sweetness remains with you long after you’ve left her blog.
That kind of youthful joie de vivre is exactly why I asked Zen to be a Life Enthusiast.
Like others before me, I want to thank Britt for this opportunity. I’m actually quite honoured; I never thought – looking back at all Life Enthusiasts before me – that I could fit the bill, so this makes me happy.
It also made me realise that this is very difficult, haha.
Though I’ve always been one to take pleasure in the little things in life, I feel I haven’t really started “living” until I finally left the nest a few months ago.
In the Middle East, girls typically have to live with their parents until they are married, and mine were especially firm about that. It took quite a lot of effort and persuasion, but I was finally able to convince them to let me go, and so began quite a new adventure.
In some aspects I am more of an adult now; I have my own place, I stress about bills and get buried under huge piles of work.
You would argue that, since I’m 26, I am already a fully-fledged adult, but I still feel like that teenager sitting between her best friends on graduation day, awkwardly accepting her diploma from the headmaster and darting off before her parents could even snap a picture.
Even now that we all have our careers and our responsibilities, when we all get together we are still able to have the same childish fun we had when we were younger, spending hours over a board game, watching cartoons and eating more sweets than our bodies can handle. I’m a very nostalgic person, and this whole formula suits me just fine, allowing me to relive the past with all the perks of being an adult.
I think it’s really important never to lose sight of the child in you, and to continue enjoying the things that made you happy in that innocent phase of your life.
Though my tastes have developed over the years, I still squeal with delight when I hit the candy aisle of any store – especially now that there’s no one to tell me I only get to “pick one”, haha – and I cannot hide my joy when I step into a patisserie, often failing to control myself and my wallet in face of all the sugary goodies.
I still enjoy animated movies most of all… and cry during almost every single one of them, even on the fourth or fifth watch.
I still snuggle my stuffed bunny when I sleep.
An avid reader, I still allow myself to indulge in the innocence and simplicity of a good children’s novel. I still love “looking at the pictures.”
I laugh easily, I cry easily, my foodie buds still crave the childhood comfort of mac & cheese… and at the end of the day, when I’m feeling particularly down, a scoop of ice-cream can cheer me right up.
I may not have everything figured out, but at least I know, I will never grow up to be a person who doesn’t delight in the simple things in life.
And when a toy store clerk asks me if I want Toothless wrapped up as a gift, I’ll firmly say, “No, thank you. This is actually mine.”
Britt Skrabanek 
Too true. And when we do something considered childish, we are made to feel foolish. I say go for it anyway! It’s what keeps us young and full of joie de vivre. Those who lose that are sad souls indeed.
Thanks for the introduction to Zen!
Oh god yes. I’ve had a fair share of people giving me a “that-is-very-childish-what-do-you-think-you’re-doing-grow-up” kind of look, and it’s frustrating, but what can you do? 😦
You keep doing!
A wonderful post. And, yes, adults deserve a toy every now and again.
Thank you! 😀
Oh gosh, what a lovely “sweet” post Zen! Such an important reminder, to keep in touch with our inner child.
Btw, my son’s favourite sweets are jelly beans too. I don’t crave so much for sweets but I do share your love for children’s novels and cartoons. (actually just wrote a post about it, if you’re interested in reading; https://karinvandenbergh.wordpress.com/2015/04/05/the-velveteen-principles-the-process-of-becoming-real/ )
Britt, you sure have a wonderful circle of “Enthusiasts for life” – no surprise really 🙂
I’m surrounded by amazing humans, Karin. I try to spotlight one every now and then. 🙂
Thank you, Karin! Children’s novels and cartoons are great, aren’t they? They’re so poignant and simple at the same time, and that’s what makes them so beautiful!
Great to see you here, Zen!
I’m a big lover of animated movies, too, particularly anything Disney as that’s what fed my soul in my early years. And, I cry at every single one too!
I love your notion about never losing sight of the child in you. I lost track of my inner child for a while, but found it again when I had kids of my own. It’s a better place to be.
Disney is great for continuing to feed that inner child in all of us. 😀 And I’m glad you managed to find little Kate again – never let her go!
The greatest gift my beloved uncle gave me was to find joy in the most simple things in life.
That is truly the greatest gift. 🙂
Yes, we need to embrace the child in all of us, I agree! Cookies for dinner, why not? Skipping to work, sign me up! Wonderful piece, Zen.
Thank you, Letizia! And while we’re on the subject, I did have cookies for dinner yesterday. 😉
[…] month Zen from Zen Scribbles reminded us never to lose sight of the child in ourselves, to enjoy things that makes us […]
I was caught rockin out to Christmas carols with my son in front of the veterinarian’s office one afternoon. We didn’t care the receptionists were giggling when we made our way to the door and we began again once we got back into the car with our pet. Good memory. Always keep the child within you…..
Haha, never let the stiff people get you down! Whenever I see someone looking with disapproval at an otherwise innocent action, I want to tell them, “You were a child once! You know how it feels!”
I teach creative writing classes. One of my students in my newest session is an 81-year-old retired physician. And he says that the biggest lesson he’s learned through his life, his doctoring, his parenting and ‘living,’ is to never, ever forget the child inside each of us. You and I agree!
Awww, that’s sweet. I really hope that by the time I’m that old, I still won’t forget what it’s like to be a child. I imagine it’d make things a lot easier. 🙂