Someday you will be old enough
to start reading fairy tales again.
C.S. Lewis
When I was a child, knowing what was right and
wrong was easy. Either its right or it’s wrong. Does it hurt someone? Then it’s
wrong. Does it make someone happy? Then it’s right. A pretty simple philosophy when
you place happiness as a priority. Running around, climbing trees, playing
games, making friends, treating animals kindly.
The life of a child is simple. If it rained you
got wet. If you get hurt, a kiss could magically make everything better. And
yet the shadow of the horrible “You’ll understand when you’re older” looms over
the child as the terrible death of innocence.
So I started to grow older, not by choice mind
you. And then I became opinionated, and rebellious, and socially minded. I
began rebelling against what was established, believing in a radical concept,
if it hurts someone, it’s wrong. And again I was force fed “You’ll understand
when you’re older” as an excuse to do wrong to people.
And at some point in my life I grew up. I am
not sure when it happened. The playful child turned into the rebellious teen,
who in turn became the “older guy who understands.” Being right became more
important than doing right. Doing well became more important than doing good. Do
you know what the price for “growing up” is? Happiness stopped being a
priority.
So I decided that I don’t want to be the “older
guy who understands.” I want to go back to the days when if it rains, you get
wet, and if you get hurt, a kiss could magically make everything better. So I
have decided to play, to love, and to live. I have realized that the child I
was before new a lot more about life than the man I grew up into.
If anyone wants to find me, look for me
fighting imaginary dragons, or building sand castles, or dancing, or laughing,
or looking for a kiss to make everything better or simply splashing in the
rain!
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