Young at Heart

“No matter what happens, always keep your childhood innocence. It's the most important thing.” 
― Federico Fellini

Why do kids always seem to be in such a hurry to grow up? When I think back to my own childhood, I look back with great fondness to a time when the biggest decision of my day was what outfit to put on Barbie and whether her and Ken should host a party at the Dream House, or perhaps take the Dream Vette out for a spin.

Oh…decisions DECISIONS!

Why in the WORLD would I …or any kid….have ever wanted to leave that kind of simple life behind us? Is it always wanting what we don’t have and the grass being greener on the grown up side? Is it seeing the adults around us being free to do things we wished we could, like going to cool places and doing fun things like driving, staying up late and eating as much ice cream and pizza as they want to?

(Okay….looking at it that way….maybe I can see why ditching Barbie and the Vette wasn’t such a bad idea!)

But little did we realize that with all of that freedom and power ALSO came responsibilities, like jobs, bills and diaper changes (hopefully not for ourselves…at least yet….) and “not-so-much-fun-afterall” stuff like gas prices, traffic jams, dieting and high cholesterol.

(Hey wait a second…..someone left that whole part out. No fair! Im telling!!!)

Being able to view the world through the innocent eyes of a child and having the ability to see only the good parts of life, while maintaining blissful ignorance to the other side that adults often wish didn’t know existed, is a gift we don’t often seem to appreciate until it’s gone. One of the hardest parts about growing up is often seeing for the first time what the world is REALLY like. And one of the saddest parts is forgetting how to play and losing our way down those paths we used to follow to the imaginary worlds we would visit so often and so easily as a child.

But I have some good news!  We DON’T have to grow up (all the way at least!) What they don’t tell us is there ARE ways for us to keep some of our childhood innocence, while living in an adult world. It's not always easy....but whoever said anything worth having in life was easy, anyway!

Let yourself have fun!  Don’t let your age define what makes you laugh and smile…..and always be able to laugh at yourself.

Tell a joke that makes you both groan and laugh at the same time.

Eat a cupcake for no other particular reason then a little taste of cake and icing makes us smile (and be sure it has some sprinkles on top, too)

In the Fall, take a roll in the leaves (but make sure a stray dog hasn’t used that leaf pile for it’s own purposes first! Awkward…and Ewwww!!)

Build a sandcastle (Moats and drawbridges are optional)

Remember how it felt to watch fireworks as a child and let yourself be just as amazed by them again. (It's not every night you get to see a colorful display of dazzling diamonds in the sky, now is it?)

Look up at the stars at night and make a wish EVERY time you see them.

Don’t try and figure out how magic tricks are done. Just enjoy the wonder and belief that magic exists. (And never stop believing that it does.)

Believe with all your heart that good things CAN happen to any of us, at any time…. for no other reason then just because they can.

…. And never forget to simply “believe”.

  

Wonder and amazement can be found in this world at any age, if you just keep your heart and mind open to seeing it.  Never forget that once you grow up, you can never grow down again….so don’t be in any rush to leave all of your childhood behind you. Life is a sadder and colder place without it.

I, for one, have no plans on fully growing up! (It sounds like such a dull and boring thing to do, now doesn’t it? ) When I was a kid, there was the TV commercial that said “I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toys ‘R Us kid!”. You know something? That was a pretty good motto to follow! And I am proud to say that I still AM a Toys ‘R Us kid! Please join me on my visit to not just ANY Toys ‘R Us store….but one of the biggest and most AWESOME ones you will ever find, located right in the heart of Times Square in NYC! I’m not bragging here…..but just how often can you find thousands of toys and games, a full size ferris wheel (INSIDE no less) and a lifesize DINOSAUR straight from Jurassic Park in one place??? (Not very often, Im guessing!) Hope you enjoy visiting as much as I did.

Until next time everyone! Ta ta and toodles!

~Tracie Dee~