Growing up is one of the most cruel natural phenomenons. The transition of going from homework to household activities is not easy. Don’t you wish you could stay that carefree kid running around in the backyard forever? Everyone does. Life used to be simpler back then. You didn’t have to worry about paying your bills, working two jobs, gathering money and everything that takes up your whole time now. Back then, it was all about who’s going to get the ball and bat today, or what game would you be playing tomorrow. It was about watching cartoons and eating every two hours. How did we all get from there to here?
Don’t you miss making paper boats every time it rained and racing them on the puddles? Don’t you kiss waking up early morning to play and then coming back looking like a homeless child? Don’t you miss waiting for the weekend eagerly when you didn’t have to go to school and could stay up late night watching television?
It’s a given, we grow up. Life changes and better things happen. But amidst all the responsibilities and pressure that you’re living under, don’t give up on being a child. Don’t let that child inside you die. Because as soon as you do, you don’t appreciate the small things in life.
Be stubborn. If you want something, go get it. Like when you couldn’t find the ball but you never gave up. You wanted to play more, even if that meant you searching for a ball for hours straight. It might have been lost forever, but your thirst to find it never died. Learn from that and don’t give up. Be stubborn and don’t rest until you get what you want.
Be brave. Remember how you listened to all sorts of scary stories as a child but never gave in to them? You always thought of how you’re going to tackle the ghost instead of running away from it. Those ghosts are the obstacles you’re facing in your life. Don’t run away from them, confront them. Be a child and be brave.
Don’t lose that innocence. As a child, you didn’t judge people. You spoke to people regardless of their caste, creed, religion, race and sex. You were too young to know about the things that divide the world. And now that you know, get back to being the child you used to be. Break norms, challenge the society. Be the change you wanted to see in the world.
This Children’s Day, let’s pledge to not grow up and stop the hate.
Happy Children’s Day!
