PODCAST

What can an eight-year-old teach the rest of us about living a meaningful life?Quite a lot, actually.In this special Next Gen episode of The Story of Us, Jeff sits down with his eight-year-old nephew, Arlo Edlin, for a conversation about books, animals, math, infinity, video games, friendship, creativity, family, and a few questions about the universe that most adults stopped asking a long time ago.Arlo is entering third grade, reads at least two hours a day—sometimes four—and is already coding his own video game, Reckin' Warrior. He's also a Chicago Bears fan, proving that wisdom and questionable life choices can coexist at any age.The conversation moves quickly from Beast Quest books and the qualities of a great story to why Arlo would rather free the beast than destroy it: “because I feel like it would help me build a magical bond.”There are debates about peanut butter, the possibility of having a tiger locked in your bedroom, why math might “unlock everything,” and what Arlo would do if his video game made him rich. His financial plan, incidentally, is to save at least 95%—which means he's already more disciplined than most adults.But beneath all the fun is something deeper.Asked what kids understand better than adults, Arlo doesn't hesitate:Creativity.He believes the average child is simply more creative than the average adult.And when Jeff gives Arlo the same future-self question he asks every guest, his answer becomes the heart of the episode:“Continue being creative.”Then Arlo explains why:“Creativity is everything.”In This EpisodeWhy Arlo reads two to four hours a dayBeast Quest, adventure, and what makes a great storyCoding his own video game at eightWhy math “unlocks everything”Infinity and some very big questions about the universeFriendship, family, animals, sports, and schoolWhy peanut butter may apparently be a terrible inventionWhat adults worry about too muchWhy kids may be more creative than grown-upsThe importance of curiosity, imagination, and wonderA Question to Carry With YouAdults spend years trying to rediscover things children seem to possess naturally:Curiosity.Imagination.Wonder.The freedom to ask strange questions without worrying whether they sound intelligent.Maybe growing wiser doesn't require leaving those things behind.Maybe it means protecting them.So take Arlo's advice:Continue being creative.Build something.Read something.Ask a ridiculous question.Explore something simply because you're curious.And if you have a kid like Arlo in your life, sit down and ask them what they're wondering about.You might be surprised by what they teach you.Visit TheStoryOfUsProject.com for more episodes and subscribe free to Letters from the Middle of It All, Jeff's weekly reflections on family, meaning, aging, spirituality, wonder, and this strange experience of being human.If this conversation makes you smile, share it with a kid—or with an adult who could stand to feel like one again.Growing older is mandatory. Growing up completely might be optional.