When I was a child I couldn’t wait to become an adult. Adults did whatever they pleased— stayed up all night, went out after dark, drove, hung out with friends, and could eat cake for breakfast if they chose to. They even used profanity. Most importantly, no one ever told an adult what to do.
Or so I thought.
As I grew older the carefree naivety of youth soon faded, and I took on the mantle of adulthood. Building a career, getting married, caring for family, and overcoming life’s challenges replaced my fun-filled adolescent days. In fact, I was so focused on being an adult and doing what I thought responsible adults should do, that as the decades went by I barely remembered the silly, goofy, enthusiastic part of me that could still play and marvel at the world around me.
Once I realized what had happened, I decided I wanted my inner child back. But not only did I want it back, I wanted others to reclaim their silly, goofy selves as well. In today’s challenging times, now more than ever, we need our inner child to make us laugh and lift our spirits again.
Therefore, I challenge you to go after that special part of yourself, cherish it and nurture it until it is once again an integral part of who you are.
Your spirit will thank you for it.
Toni O.