4 Reasons Why I'd Rather Be Free And Immature Than Grown Up And Responsible
It seems like we spend our entire lives wishing to grow up and when we finally do, we only wish to be children again.
Many of us are at the point in our lives when we'd rather be free and immature than grown up and responsible. We would rather be childish.
Being called childish used to be an insult. When we walked through the torturous hallways of middle school and high school, longing for nothing more than to fit in and to exude the impression of sophistication, our greatest fear was that someone would see through us and discover that we were all just insecure teens putting on a show.
But, we were wrong in our belief that being "grown up" is better. There are many reasons we should hold on to childhood for as long as possible and there are many reasons we should celebrate childlike innocence. I do not mind being called childish.
In fact, I am proud to be childish. Here are four reasons why:
1. Children dream without limits
Most children spend their early years hearing the words "You can be whatever you want to be." This encouragement allows them to see the world without limits.
When I was 5 years old, I believed wholeheartedly that "Princess" was an appropriate ambition and never once stopped to question whether or not it was an achievable career goal.
Classmates who wanted to be firefighters, astronauts, presidents and professional athletes surrounded me.
As a child, you can dream without the fear of failure standing in your way. I'm proud to be childish because I'd rather dream in a way that makes the impossible seem possible.
2. Children are open with their emotions
When we are still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, looking at the world through a scope of innocence, the concept of being manipulative or masking our emotions doesn’t come into play. Children see the world in black and white and without the need to toy with others.
They are refreshingly honest, with both the good and the bad and can help others to see the world in a much simpler way. I am proud to be childish because sometimes, wearing your heart on your sleeve makes your heart much stronger.
3. Children are not afraid to ask "why?"
If you talk to any children between the ages of 2 and 6, the most common thing you will hear is: "why?" Children constantly want to know more and they gulp in new information eagerly, always seeking to understand more.
If everyone adopted this thirst for knowledge, we would be so much more successful in our daily endeavors. Many of us are afraid to ask questions and are afraid to use "why” in our vocabularies. Instead, we prefer to pretend that we know all there is to know.
I am proud to be childish because I do not, nor will I ever, know everything. But, I would like to learn more each and every day.
4. Children are creative
In a world where there is only play and the world is a playground, children’s creativity is always evident. Children dream up stories without worrying about whether or not they sound silly or their audiences will enjoy them — they simply create for the sake of creating.
There is a limitless amount of games and it is never too late to rewrite the rules. Most children can find fun in any situation, even if it's something as mundane as brushing their teeth. Life becomes a lot more fun when everything is a game.
I am proud to be childish because, though constant creativity may not always open doors, it can help you to find different paths. I am proud to be childish because the world is so much happier when viewed through a child's eyes.
Photo Courtesy: Universal Pictures/Dumb and Dumber
