Nearly two years ago I turned 40 years old. It’s a milestone, similar to turning 18 or 21 or even 30. I’m not pointing this unchangeable fact out to be obvious, but to reiterate how I still feel like a kid inside. This doesn’t necessarily mean I’m naïve or I have license to act immaturely in public places. I simply recognise where my creativity stems from and allow myself to be indulgent when inspiration happens.
Recently, though, a friend pointed out a behavioural problem he thought I had. He said the level of enthusiasm and the exuberance I displayed about things I felt passionately about seemed excessive. At first, I took what he said to heart. I looked at myself and thought ‘well, if he’s seeing me like this, then it must mean others do too’. So for a little while I attempted to modify my behaviour in order to be viewed in a way I thought most adults’ desired to be viewed. I became unbearably miserable, uncreative, uncooperative and angry. I almost drove myself to the edge before I realised what I was doing. I was suppressing my inner child. The more I did this, the worse I felt.
Luckily, one day, I woke up and realised what damage I was doing to myself. I’m not blaming anyone, because I’m the only person responsible for my actions. The simple fact is my friend is 30 odd years old and often bemoans life as though he were a bitter old man. I am 40 odd years old and work hard to retain my wide-eyed wondrous view of the world. He is one who is missing out, not me. I would even go so far as to say he’s bitter and jealous because I still have such a connection to my inner child. There’s no shame in being young at heart. The problem is our society continues to propagate the idea that once we hit a ‘certain’ age, we should forget all the things that gave us so much joy as children. Instead we’re taught to concentrate on ‘important’ things like finding gainful employment, starting repressive relationships, breaking up and starting again, and getting ourselves into debt. We forget about the child in us, and start teaching the children we might have the same suppressive values.
I’m not advocating silliness in adults. I’m simply stating that we should all chill out. The events of the last few years around the world are a direct result of too many people taking themselves and others far too seriously. If we used our common sense and a healthy dose of child-like innocence as tools to see past our differences, I really believe we’d be on our way to healing a lot of the problems occurring around the globe at the moment. Oh yeah, we also need a good sense of humor. If we can’t laugh at the follies of humanity, then we truly are heading for extinction.