Why can't we stay children forever? I don't understand why people choose to go through this shift in their lives when they grow older. I don't understand how it happens and I'm still confused as to when it happens. I'm the first to admit that I find it irritating when a child is screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs because they didn't receive what they felt they deserved. But, why do we have to lose all of that childhood innocence. When did imagination become something that only children are aloud to have? When did it become uncouth for a grown-up to swing or to slide down a slide? Why does society insist that we give that up when we reach a certain age? When is that age? I was fortunante to grow up in a home where I wasn't hindered in this way. I was allowed to express my imagination in whatever form it came. Well, I wasn't allowed to draw on the walls but I got away with it when my parents couldn't find where I was drawing...anyway! Now that I'm not living with them, married, and soon to start my own family, it seems that people are nonverbally telling me that I need to grow up. I know that certain aspects of my life could use a good scrub down but what about others? Do I really need to change my imagination now that I'm going to be a dad? You'd think that it would be even more crucial for me to maintain such an amazing imagination for my children. When my children come to me with a drawing of the family and all they drew were squiggles I want to be able to see my family in that drawing not a bunch of squiggles. I want to always be able to wish on stars with my daughter having the hope that one day my wish will come true. I want to paint the walls in my house all sorts of colours just to see how the sun reflects off of every wall differently. Why do people insist that I give these up now that I'm "a grown up". Simply because I'm now going to have children to take care of doesn't mean that I have to stop living. It doesn't mean that I have to stop flying. It means that I have to start teaching my children that they too have the ability to fly!
-Jeremy-
3 comments:
Love this and totally agree! Thank you for reminding me to keep the child in me alive!
There is no reason why you would ever have to give any of that up, parent or not! I still go down the slide with my son and swing on the swing. There is always beauty in the squiggles your children draw on a piece of paper and seeing how the sun reflects on different colors on the walls is a BRILLIANT idea! When your a parents it will become more clear to you when you need to be serious or just have fun and use your imagination! You be the father you want to be and explore the world with your child! The best thing about being a parent is you get to experience it all over again!
Amen. Screw people. I'm staying young forever.
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