Back in the day, I just assumed the adults were saying that because they were old and had no idea what joys were waiting patiently, calling from the keyboard, controllers, etc.

Now, I know that they had seen far more than I could imagine, and that they knew all too well that those sun-dappled, happiness-brimming days outdoors were a rapidly diminishing resource… 😭

sun-dappled, happiness-brimming days outdoors

And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.

-Yeats