Do you remember the first time you mustered the courage to climb the ladder to the top of the slide in the playground? Gripped by a nameless fear as you sat down on reaching the pinnacle, you wondered if you could do it. You watched the other children whooping with joy as they came rushing down and fell in a heap at the sandpit at the bottom of the slope. And you thought to yourself how hard can it be.

Convincing yourself that you could do it, you let go of your parent's hand and started the ascent. Halfway up, you paused and looked down at the familiar face below for reassurance. That's when you realised that the top can be a lonely place. You also wondered if it was worth the effort. But having come thus far you were determined to see it through.

Head held high and with trembling lips, you decided to see it through although all your instincts were screaming at you to return to the safety of the ground.

The moment of truth was upon you. Could you slide down what seemed an endless length of metal and end up laughing with the sheer joy of living like all the others? Squashing all doubts, you closed your eyes and started the descent. And before you knew it, things were out of your control. Your body seemed to be propelled forward by some unseen force and, for some endless moments, you were in reluctant motion until you landed in an ungraceful heap at the bottom.

Ears ringing, senses swimming, you looked around and saw your parent's proud smile. That was reward enough. Everything else was forgotten in the triumph of the moment.

The exhilaration is similar to what one feels on accomplishing a goal or task which takes you out of your comfort zone. As you start on this new challenge you might be assailed by doubts as to the success of the venture. You might ask yourself if you have made the right decision and whether you should have stayed in your safe little world. But as you conquer your fears and plunge into this new activity, there is an acute awareness of the unpredictability of life and the satisfaction of knowing one has taken a step to meet it halfway instead of waiting for things to happen to you.

Waiting for their turn

The number of children seen waiting for their turn by the swings in a park is testimony to the popularity of this piece of equipment. As the person on the swing goes higher and higher, the ones below watch with envy the soaring movement and the thrill apparent on the face of the one up in the air.

As a two-or three-year-old, the initiation into this rite was terrifying. Even as one was placed on the seat and the pushing motion began, there was a feeling of no return as one's body refused to go with the flow. One's instinct was to slide off the seat and seek the safety of the ground. But the swinging movement soon translated into a feeling of euphoria as one went up, up and away.

What can we learn from this? To let oneself go and see how high and far we can travel, refusing to allow the thought of others watching hamper our freedom of movement in any way.

The simple seesaw is yet another place where we learn to adjust to others and let them down gently. I'm sure you all have experienced the jarring sensation of your end of the seesaw hitting the ground abruptly as your playmate suddenly saw a friend whom he wanted to join. So, he jumped off, literally leaving you in the lurch.

The next time he wanted to share the seesaw with you, you made sure you laid down the rules - no sudden departures as well as permission to be sought before bringing your side down. Thus we learnt to cooperate, to be considerate of others.

These lessons of life were imbibed through play, imparting important messages which have stood us in good stead throughout.