“Would you rather be a cactus or a lizard?”

Bask in the creative innocence of youth.

Stuck in a quagmire of news and world calamities? Maybe your issues are closer to home and less global? Have you hung out with anyone young lately? Try finding someone who is too young to watch (or care about) the news and ask them what they’re interested in.

My son asked me today, “Would you rather be a cactus or a lizard?”

Out of the blue. He then went into a quick scenario of each one complete with pros and cons of each. In summary, although the cactus lived longer and had a good view of the desert, it couldn’t move. The lizard was the clear winner, although it could get eaten by wolves.

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

I don’t care if you’re in New York film school, I’m not sure you’ll get the creative originality that kids have. But you have to listen and you have to look at them and let them know you’re listening. You have to agree and nod your head and ask questions once in a while so they know you’re paying attention.

It doesn’t “cost” you much to listen to your kids. They will thank you for it. You will thank yourself for it.

So what’s it going to be? The cactus or the lizard?