Growing Up

My mom just found this picture that I drew when I was a kid. I stared at it for a long time and it got me thinking back to my childhood. Boy, I was obsessed with ice-cream cones. Wild, vivid, colorful ice-cream cones. And always on that checkered background too. I probably drew about 100 of these pictures as a child.

When I was a kid the world was my imaginary play ground. I used to believe that I could fly, really I did. I had myself convinced that when my eyes were closed and my arms were out, I was flying. I just wasn't allowed to see it happening, but I believed it.

I had big hopes for my future as a kid. Along with growing boobs and wearing pencil skirts here's what I wanted to do:
- Become an astronaut and float in space.
- Own my own ice-cream shop.
- Become an executive so I could wear high heels and feel important.
- Learn to play the saxophone like Kenny-G.
- Travel the world helping people and adopting children like Mother Teresa.
- Become a famous actress.

I know there were plenty more, but these are the first ones that I can remember. It is funny how things change. How you "grow up" and change your mind, become more realistic and grounded. Why is that, I wonder? What if we all kept our same hopes and dreams as we did when we were children. What kind of world would we have? Would it be better, worse, more creative, more chaotic?

I think it is a shame that as we get older all of that creativity and spontaneity we had as children fades. I remember thinking as a young teenager that I would try my hardest not to let my childhood fade. It was a personal goal of mine. I wanted to stay my creative, spunky, imaginative self forever. Somehow, somewhere along the way though, that changed. I feel like it has changed so much so that I will never be able to get back to that place. What a shame. I guess as an adult I can commit myself to remembering my childhood and trying to use the experiences I had then, to shape my life now.

What hopes and desires for your future did you have when you were a kid?? What has changed?