Wouldn’t it be great to have a child’s energy, drive and perseverance? It seems that once we become adults our energy becomes focused on something totally different and our drive has probably shifted gears more than once in our lifetime.
However, the difference between children and adults is that children can often function in any type of setting as well as with any person (to an extent) because for children everything is simplistic and doesn’t always have "drama" associated with a situation.
Children also find it easier to befriend another child or adult since children do not view age, gender, ethnicity or religion as a hindrance to the developing relationship. A person is a person until he or she takes a favorite crayon, pencil or worse a beloved stuffed animal or toy.
Children, especially boys, often pretend to be superheroes trying to save their toys or other prized possessions. Much to their mother’s protest, they try to embody the stereotypical action hero who has a protective cape, supernatural powers such as or the ability to control the weather. With their "super suit" they become a noble invisible superhero whose cause is to protect the innocent.
In a child’s mind it is so easy to believe that he or she can be an invisible indestructible force of nature. Children often do not incur the many complications in trying to be something they are not because everything is a learning experience.
In the mind of a child nothing can really harm them, and nothing can anything really stop them from being who they are because they’re not aware of the concerns adults face or the drama that comes with being an adult.
However, as adults we often forget this fearless, no-holds-barred approach to life that children possess. We try to encourage this fearless state of mind because it frequently turns into courage.
Courage (as well as the encouragement from an adult) allows a child to be expressive and step outside of his or her comfort zone even though he or she will spend almost an entire lifetime thinking and standing outside the box.
With thinking outside the box, children become inquisitive about their surroundings and the people they meet as well as the information they learn in school, from friends or on television; often asking questions we as adults do not want to answer such as "where do babies come from?"
As adults, we do not always ask questions for the sake of asking. We try to solve the many mysteries of life on our own instead of seeking advice or guidance from someone else.
We strive for intelligence and the art of obtaining knowledge as scholars and professionals in our fields of study and career paths but if we let pride and uncertainty get in the way of our dreams and aspirations then what else could we possibly look forward to in life?
Latimer, an English post-baccalaureate, can be reached via [email protected]
