Fairies, Birthday Parties, and Simpler Times

Oh the simpler days. Remember going to friend’s birthday parties when you were little? Games, music, cake, and smiles filled the afternoon, and you went home to play and live your young and eventful life full of learning and amazement. With the Olympics on this past week, I’ve been reminded of those times a lot. Sitting and watching athletes compete for greatness, and wondering what the world had in store for me. Although I chose music and art over the sports and games, I knew I couldn’t wait to grow up and see what the world had in store for me. I don’t think any adult is lying to any child when they say, “Stay young as long as you can, and the world is much easier that way.” In reality, growing up is just a trap. I’ve written about it before in my blog, but have around so many little ones with my photography lately, that I am too often reminded of it. Whether its kids at the beach, or little girls dressed as fairies for a birthday party getting their faces painted, or boys being boys throwing water balloons at each other, it’s part of‘growing -up’. They don’t know what bad mortgages are, pollution, the cruelty of people’s selfish motives, the daily grind, cubicles, school loans, debt. All they do is play, and dream about what the world has in store for them.  I think we should take a note from the books of kids, and remember that awe that we use to see in the world. Remember how simple it was to say no or get away from things that we didn’t like, or enjoy. As adults, we constantly abuse ourselves with the wrong people, the wrong situations, and the wrong motives. It’s like we grow up and make things that much more complicated as if a part of growing up meant sacrificing our inner joy and awe, to be a part of a world that can sometimes be very cruel. I say, that’s enough. And to anyone that will listen, I say take the garbage out of your life. Remove yourself from the things and people that make you doubt yourself. Stop killing the spirit of wonder in your soul before it’s all gone. Sometimes, we realize that much too late. It can at first be hard to do, but in the end, surrounding yourself with the support and love of family and friends that want the best for you, is all that you need to get that spark back.