Vacations are a sure fire way to relax, rejuvenate & in the process revamp one’s psyche. I went on one recently. Being with nature is an addiction & it constantly beckons. This time it was the Ponmudi Lake near Munnar-serene-soothing & spectacular. The spouse being an avid photographer most often sees the world through the lens. Understanding his needs an eager tour guide at the resort offered to take us to some unusual viewpoints. At one of these scenic spots, as we got off our vehicle, I spotted two little girls about 8 or 10 years of age. They were sitting at a vantage point & taking in the panoramic view. As soon as they saw us, they eagerly came running towards us & became our self-appointed guide. They wore mismatched outfits that were far bigger than their size clearly indicating it was a hand-me-down, but the most attractive accessory they wore was their genuine smile. The older one was a cheerful & engaging communicator, while the younger was shy & quiet. Selvi the older one pointed out the various places of interest telling us how much time it would take for us to reach there. Her confidence & charm spoke volumes. No personality development workshops or communication classes; no summer camps or fancy convent schools. Nature was her teacher & curiosity her tool. She introduced herself & her friend. She told us her father was Mr Johnson, a Hindu, he had a hotel, no, a tea kadai. She had seen the latest film of Actor Vijay titled ‘Puli’. She wanted to sing for us & as we nodded assent she sang happily without a moment’s hesitation & she signed off with a swagger that was very becoming of her. She was so spontaneous, free spirited & happy. The children I meet in my urban family & social circles have to be coaxed to say hello, or sing the song they learnt at the music class. While on our travels, our children have to be organically separated from their gadgets & they are keener to reach their destination than enjoy their journey. Eating joints are more attractive to them than viewpoints. Geography is a subject in school rather than a location to be visited or experienced. We are compelled to bring up our children with loads of caution, asking them to be wary of strangers, not to walk around alone & watch out at every step. Oh! the trappings of urban life. I realized that happiness is a spontaneous feeling that can spring from the most ordinary events & not an expensive experience that has to be planned & prepared for. Have our urban children lost out on these spontaneous pleasures? Of being outdoors, enjoying the many joys of nature, laughing spontaneously, playing without the help of technology, aren’t these precious pleasures? Happy Children’s day to the child in all of us. Enjoy the simple everyday joys that are free & fun