Have both.

As young children we are encouraged to have fun, be happy, and silly and to enjoy life in general.We play lots of games, have all different kinds of toys and make friends easily.

But at some point we are told that that part of life is over and that we have to grow up. We need to get serious about learning the things that we will need in order to have a good life later.

I think that is probably what started me on my original path to rebellion. My step-dad and I always disagreed about how life worked. I refused to believe his point of view. Even now, thirty years later, I still don't agree with it.

It seems kind of stupid, to me, to be told that you have to give up a perfectly good life full of joy and happiness so that you can suffer through a bunch of stuff that you have absolutely no interest in, just so that one day you can go back to being happy again.

Why can't we have both? Grow up and be a child at the same time. Studies have shown that short breaks every thirty minutes to an hour during work or school lead to much more productive work being accomplished, both in volume and quality.

While I may be fairly good at it, in general, I have no interest in being an adult. I want to spend my time playing games, reading and going on adventures. And I bet you do too. Learning new things is enjoyable to me just so that I can find other things that are fun to do and other people to do them with. Teaching is fun for me because I like seeing the inner child in others light up when it learns something new.

We all have responsibilities as adults, things that we cannot get away from. And yes, some of those things do actually require us to be serious and disciplined. A lot of them don't though. And why shouldn't we have fun at every other possible moment where we are not required to be a grown up?
Besides, the end goal isn't real for any of us until we reach it. Until then now is the only time that ever matters. Why suffer through now after now after now that is simply crappy because you aren't allowed to have fun?

If the matter isn't death or the loss of some big account at work, live a little. Be serious when you have to, have fun when you don't. Hold both. Make all your nows as enjoyable as you can until you are done being an adult. And then be a kid all the time.

I mean isn't that really what being rich is about? The freedom to do what you want when you want? We should cram as much joy and happiness into each moment of life as we possibly can. And isn't that what the child within all of us really wants?