Once Upon A Time

Why wouldn't your eight-year-old self time travel here to give you a hand?  You're obviously in trouble.  He could straighten you out!

From The Movie, The Kid

We all grow up, but not always in the ways we should.

Many of us take pride in the fact that we have become independent; there is assurance in knowing that we can do things on our own; we glory in our abilities to be logical and realistic.  Having entered the realm of the giants, we reward ourselves by securing a place in their world.  It was a long road getting here and we never want to go back to the way things were.  And who would?  We now stand toe-to-toe with those who have it all figured out.

We'll never again sit at the children's table.

Upon venturing forth, little by little, we build our lives, many of us unsure as to what we're building or if it'll even go on standing.  But we build anyway and then we build some more.  And when uncertainty inevitably creeps in like it does, we begin to doubt our place in this new world.  Questions about life and purpose begin to surface.

"How did I get here?" we asked ourselves. "Is this really what I want?"

We realize that what we'd given ourselves to wasn't of our own creativity or concern.  We had simply examined the patterns of those around us and followed suit.  But our reasons for doing so are hazy.  Our why is unclear.  What is clear, however, is that most everything we had built so far - our life in this new land - was devoid of passion or imagination or intrigue.

We just did it; we got the job done.

We labored not through the lens of a child but something else, entirely.  And thus, we proceeded forth with great caution, never traversing too far beyond the residents of reason and sensibility (the wisest in the land).  For if we did, and if we failed in our attempts, well, we'd be mocked or devalued in some way by the giants.  Or worse, we may be removed altogether from the ever-so-desired-kingdom, never to be taken seriously again.  And so we stayed close to home and continued on like all the others.

And just like that, we took yet another step away from the children we once were.

I'm speaking of that little boy or girl who once imagined and dreamed and believed in things that were not.  The one who was unguarded and free, innocent and curious.  The child who dared greatly and fought dragons and knew that love was true.  The darling who warmed hearts with a smile.  The explorer who discovered new things.

That small, little heart which overflowed with forgiveness and excitement and wonder... 

... the child who still there now, somewhere inside of you.

I fear that for many of us, we've succumb to the temptation to no longer be child-like in our interactions with the world.  We each have our reasons for doing so and some of us can recount the moments that led us here...

* At work, only the strong survive and so I became strong *
* My quirks made me look weird and so I turned 'em down a notch (or three) *
* I used to laugh a lot more, but it seemed to annoy people *

* I knew my heart would never be the same after the way he ended the relationship *
* When my father made fun of the way I danced, I wondered what was wrong with me *
* After she'd broken my confidence, it became difficult to trust people like that again *

What are your defining moments & how have they shaped you?

* Fill In The Blank: __________________ *

At one time or another, we've all found ourselves scrambling to survive in this world.  And the further we journeyed, the more guarded we became.  The land was foreign and the dangers were real.  But we pressed on.  We adapted.  We got the job done.  And somewhere in haziness of it all, and sometimes without our knowing, something special was lost.

And it was valuable.

Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again

C. S. Lewis
* * *

Note From The Author

Thank you for reading this post!  One way that I try to remain child-like in my interactions with the world is through music.  I compose songs and use my imagination to release something unique into each of them.  A song entitled "Wonderment" is the closest I've come to capturing what I feel the mind of a happy child might sound like.  You can have a listen here if you'd like.  Enjoy!

For more like this post, here are some other great resources:

The Power Of Vulnerability
Scary Close

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