I'm finally
beginning to realize how much pleasure I get from being liked by children. They
don't care how I look, or how much I know, or how eloquently I can talk. It
doesn't matter to them whether I am too fat or too skinny, socially awkward or
a chatterbox, popular among the elite crowd or being talked about behind my
back. They don't need to know my status, employment situation or how much money
I have. All those attributes, valued so highly by adults, mean completely
nothing to children. They like you for who you are as long as you are open and
honest. The minute you start faking it they get suspicious and lose interest.
I like to be liked by children because there is no better testament to my true worthiness. And because I don't need to pretend, or strive to meet someone's standards. When surrounded by children, I can relax and breathe freely. All the tension oozes out of me and I can be myself. And I needn't worry what they are thinking. Because they grab my hand and don't want to let go.
They will grow up and close their eyes and hearts. They will be very selective to what they see or how they feel. But for now I thrive in their world, where there's always enough room for fantasy and silliness, hard-to-believe stories and laughing for no specific reason. In the child's world there's no such thing as a stupid question. And talking about meaningless things suddenly brings up significance, where it seemed non-existent before. I watch them with curiosity and they never cease to surprise me. They learn from me and I learn from them and it's always a fair trade.
I like to be liked by children because there is no better testament to my true worthiness. And because I don't need to pretend, or strive to meet someone's standards. When surrounded by children, I can relax and breathe freely. All the tension oozes out of me and I can be myself. And I needn't worry what they are thinking. Because they grab my hand and don't want to let go.
They will grow up and close their eyes and hearts. They will be very selective to what they see or how they feel. But for now I thrive in their world, where there's always enough room for fantasy and silliness, hard-to-believe stories and laughing for no specific reason. In the child's world there's no such thing as a stupid question. And talking about meaningless things suddenly brings up significance, where it seemed non-existent before. I watch them with curiosity and they never cease to surprise me. They learn from me and I learn from them and it's always a fair trade.
