Think back to when you were a kid not more than 8 or 10 years old. Before all of the hormones kicked in propelling us into adolescence. Before we cared about who we liked and if they liked us back. And before we had to think about what we wanted to be when we grew up. Back when we could do and be what we wanted without caring about the future.
No matter where we grew up or what circumstances we faced, most of us were able to live in this magical world of innocence. Even if we faced difficult times, we could escape them through our imagination by creating our own happy world. Try and remember how it felt to be free. Free from responsibilities, obligations, planning the future, and reliving the past. These were the days that we were free to be ourselves. Yet we couldn’t appreciate what we had. All we wanted to do was grow up and become someone else.
Some of us grew up too fast and some of us still refuse to. But we’ve all seemingly forgotten the joy that is childhood -the freedom to make our own mistakes. If society could remember this freedom of innocence it should try and protect it for the next generations as long as possible. But that doesn’t seem to be the case because the societal world is being forced upon them too soon.
Wow – it really hit me again after we talked about how different your post 911 generation is in regards to having to deal with the extreme anxieties within our societies. I will forever be mindful and will always cherish our trip to the World Trade Center Memorial. Thanks for your perspective on the way we judge one another.