Life starts out helpless. Life ends helpless. How is life in the middle going to turn out? The words “just grow up!” are heard frequently while kids grow older. Young people are pushed to grow up faster all over the world. Most of the time it’s just life and its many expectations. But I’m screaming out, “Don’t lose your childhood!” Play, laugh, love inanimate objects that you can’t get enough of, like pizza, or chocolate. Middle and high school students should be able to have recess with swings and slides and huge sand boxes. Playing is essential to learning. The grown-up eyes that scrutinize every immature act we do should be shut. Children should be left to be children whether they are four or 84. While walking out to my car one day, I saw two boys running into the parking lot. The boy behind yelled, “Shotgun!” Right away, the guy in lead slowed down and let the other take the front seat of the car. That is what life should be like. Where people of all ages can play games fairly without complaint. Where everyone is following the rules even if they are just made up for the fun of it. For those who don’t understand the game, the point of shotgun is to get the most coveted seat in the car, the front passenger seat. The game is called “Shotgun” because in the wagon train days where there was a need for protection from bandits and other threats that could befall the wagon. A person would sit in the front seat with a shotgun that was used for defending. This game has evolved into just a childish game that siblings can play to win the front seat somewhat honorably. There are some pretty legitimate rules for this game. It states on www.shotgunrules.com that if you call shotgun it has to be loud enough for at least one other passenger to hear. It also states that you must be outside and in view of the vehicle to call it. Shotgun and other games like it might be thought of as immature and just childish (in a bad way). Cayla Westfall, a sophomore said, “It’s such a little kid thing to do. . . It is no longer activity I wish to do because of the lack of challenge it has.” The participants in these games have the right to make them as challenging as they deep worthy. These games have no set rules or regulations except for the general outline of the game; so long as the participants are consistent and don’t cheat by making things up just so they can win, anything goes. Make up games that fit your life and that you can play with your friends. Just start having fun. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you can still play silly games but have fun. Find your inner child and relax. Be who you really want to be and don’t waste life being serious all the time. Laugh and enjoy laughing.