Dare to Dream?

"I never broke any bones before." These words coming out of this little girl's mouth reminded me of what Catherine once said before: It is amazing how children can freely express how they feel and say anything they want, without worrying about anything.

Two Sundays ago, I was sitting. in church, along with fifty other members of the congregation, listening to what our chaplain had prepared for the children's sermon, what we like to call "Sermon in a Sack". A child, chosen from the previous week, gets to bring a anything in his or her sack to share during church the following Sunday. The only regulations were that it cannot be dead or alive and it has to fit in the sack. The chaplain, then, ad-libs his sermon to the children based on what is in the sack, whether it be a kaleidoscope, dental floss, or a photo album. What was in the sack that Sunday though is insignificant here.

Anyway, during the "Sermon in a sack", there are usually the same two kids that tend to catch our attention. The chaplain mentioned how his young son broke a bone during one of his soccer games. He asked the children if they have ever broken a bone before and of course one of the two outspoken kids says "I never broke any bones before". The congregation just laughs as she fearlessly says it. Most of you are probably thinking "So what? She said she has never broken a bone before." Then sarcastically say, "Big deal." Exactly. Big deal.

I thought back a couple sundays where there was another incident during the Sermon in a Sack where the other expressive child does something similar. I can't put my finger on what though. However, what really got me was the comment my older friend, Catherine made to the side: It is amazing how children can freely express how they feel and say anything they want, without worrying about anything.

Maybe it's the fact that I making my way into adulthood/ 17 years and 11 months old and an incoming freshman, in college. Maybe that is what made me think about how different childhood is from adulthood. Whatever it is, it made me know exactly what Catherine was talking about. How, as a child, you could say what you want, do what you want, express yourself any way you want to, all without getting into trouble. Do anything you want, without you having to worry about who thinks of you differently.

As a child, you could run through the sprinklers in just your underwear, and your neighbors would think it was the cutest thing ever. You could tell your friends and family that you want to become a scientist, a pilot, or a firefighter and the worst they would do is adore you for your imagination.

Where on the other hand, as an adult, judgmental people would make grotesque comments to you if you were dressed differently than them or stuck out in the crowd. Unsupportive people that you thought you could call your friends would gossip about how far out you stretch just to fulfill your childhood dream of becoming a scientist, pilot, or firefighter, thinking you couldn't do it because it is just too extreme or just too hard.

Teenagers know that as you grow up, your self-esteem is lowered by the fear that somebody may be judging you or that something you say or do could ruin your reputation as a whole. Just one little thing. Just one desire to dream. Just one moment to be a child again.

How many of you can honestly say, "I never cared what other people thought of me. NEVER."

I miss being a kid, don't you?