The Hiatus of Childhood

When we are born we are magnificent and perfect. We are greeted with all the love that our essential adorable-ness can handle. We are accepted in every sense of the word. We hold no threat. We are free!And then it starts...Rules. Lessons. The constraints that keep us in place and let us know what we are "supposed" to be, how our lives are "supposed" to evolve.We spend most of our lives preparing to "Adult." We pick up on every little nu ance about what's important to those around us. As children we learn what it is we "should" do.In school we sit for a very long time. We must raise our hands. Do as we're told. Line up. Go to the bathroom. Eat now. Study hard. Be an amazing regurgitate-er of information. It's not hurting us, but we grow an extra layer of armor to protect our essential magnificence.As we get older we participate in sports (which we really need cause we've been sitting so much!) Some excel there. Some excel in the arts. Some work. We value what we're taught to value. We expand our options and shed our constraints.What shall we choose? We feel empowered to choose something as long as it's in the course catalog. So we try to choose what might become the rest of our lives. We begin to get what's happening, and so we create another shield - to protect our essential magnificence.And after a few more years of playing by everyone else's rules, we begin to dream of another way as options abound and constraints fall away. Can this be different? Can I accomplish what I want?And those that love us say, "Live your life! Do what you want! Forget all that! You are magnificent! You are free!"But what about everything we learned? What about "get a job, buy a home, earn lots of money, get married, have kids - what about that?"Oh, that? Hmmmm... It's not necessary. It barely works anyway. Seriously, do whatever you want. Be happy, make a great life.I mean, really?! That's awesome. I'm free!Now, how do I get this armor off?Wow. Being free is hard. There's so much! Where do I begin? The whole world is new.The outer layer; let's start with that. It basically allows me to deal with everyone and everything I don't want to deal with. Let's move away from that crap. That way, the first shield won't be necessary.Ok, six more to go. Nice, I'm feeling lighter already. Now, my dreams...  Let's take our Passion Forward!