Monday, September 13, 2010

The Inner Child: Oh, the Possibilities!

Every Thanksgiving, after the turkey had been eaten, the dishes washed, and the second piece of pie devoured, I would snag my grandmother's JCPenney's and Sears' catalogs. Then I would spend an hour or two scrutinizing each page in the toy sections to determine the top items on my Christmas wish list. Sure, I knew I wouldn't get most of the things I wanted, but I found the process mesmerizing and delightful. For one whole month, the possibilities were endless.

Many children have a built in reverence for the possibility of an extraordinary outcome. They see NFL football players and picture themselves running the ball. They watch a child play the role of Annie on film and think they could be a movie star someday. Even if they know their parents can't afford an American Girl doll for Christmas, they cling to the hope that somehow the doll will show up under the tree.

Many of you are on a writing path. You may have started with high hopes or low expectations, but along the way, you're bound to find unexpected gifts and to experience painful disappointments.

When something wonderful happens, it can be easy to brush off, or, on the flip side, expect the rest of your journey to be equally wonderful. Don't brush it off. Reflect on it, be grateful for it, and let it enhance your belief that your dream will come true. But also, don't put too much faith in it. Not every step on our path will lead to another equally upward one.

When you experience crushing disappointment, you might wonder if it's worth continuing or if anything nice will happen again. This is when it is vital to excavate that childlike quality.

No matter where we're at on our journey, we can cling to the inner child who believes in the impossible.

Do you find it hard to capture that childlike anticipation? Or is your world still full of possibility?

24 comments:

  1. All things for me are possible through prayer. When things get rough, I pray harder. And I laugh like a kid. Laughter is one of the best beauty secrets.

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  2. You know, I don't find it impossible when it comes to writing. I know and believe some day it will happen. That's that child-like faith I guess that if God wants it, it will happen, and I believe he placed me on this path.

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  3. Chalk full.

    I think I either got stuck with a child-like view or I hopscotched back into in when I experienced the alternative, the cold, stiff, void of creativity world of adulthood.

    ~ Wendy

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  4. Took me time to read the whole article, the article is great but the comments bring more brainstorm ideas, thanks.

    - Johnson

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  5. Pretty post, Jill. I'm sometimes the child standing at the carnival wanting to go on BIGGEST NEW ride, with the BIGGEST drop. But then I revert back to wanting ride the horses around and around, in circles, always safely going in the same direction.

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  6. I'm still full and will encourage and believe for others too, to keep on believing! :O)

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  7. I don't think I ever grew up in this aspect. It's why my writing brand is "Faith Without Limits". :) Although, sometimes in the day to day, I can lose track of it. When you're housework, kids, church activities, playdates, and everything else are piling up, we can squash are inner child. Good thing kids are resilient. lol...

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  8. I think I'm naturally an optimist (but don't get me wrong, I don't wake up EVERY DAY feeling like it's Christmas morning!), so I lean toward the glass half full side of life. I haven't faced the scary parts about the writing game, i.e. query letters, pitches, rejection letters, so I'm sure I'll get my dose of "reality" soon enough! :)

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  9. Good morning!

    Looks like we have some optimistic go-getters here this morning! It's really nice to check in and feel your enthusiasm. Thanks for sharing!

    Thank you very much for stopping by!

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  10. Depends on the day. Today, my inner child is going nuts with possibilities.

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  11. I believe that every good work the Lord has begun in me He will complete it:)

    The best is yet to come!

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  12. I used to look through catalogues, too, and pretend I could have ten items!!!

    Hmmm. Sometimes I DO feel like a child, with childlike hopes and wild enthusiasm! Other days I feel downright 55.

    Blessings, dear one.
    patti

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  13. This is great... I think I'm most reminded of "inner children" when I see my own two kids dream. They really believe that anything and EVERYTHING is possible. I love that.

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  14. Hi Jill -

    I remember the days of the Sears Christmas Wish Book. My list was always long. LOL!

    With writing, I know what God put in my heart. As long as I keep that vision before me, I can weather the storms.

    Blessings,
    Susan :)

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  15. The inner child comes in and out, Jill. It's in more than out, which is a very good thing.

    And you're right, not every step leads up. Some take us three steps back. UGH Gotta learn to roll with the punches. :)

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  16. Thanks for sharing this link, but unfortunately it seems to be offline... Does anybody have a mirror or another source? Please answer to my post if you do!

    I would appreciate if a staff member here at jillkemerer.blogspot.com could post it.

    Thanks,
    Mark

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  17. "Not every step on our path will lead to another equally upward one."

    What you wrote is an amazing nugget of truth. I have found this to be exactly how my writing journey has gone. For a while I have lost the childlike anticipation, but I do believe I've gained some maturity along the way.

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  18. Fantastic advice, Jill. Some of your best thoughts.

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  19. I love this whole series on childhood and innocence. Used to love dreaming over catalogues. I still do. For me, dreaming is actually more fun then getting.

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  20. Usually my inner child is in charge- I'd like to think I have an inner child with a mature soul:)

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  21. Jill:
    I like the idea of having an inner child leading me. But mine likes to play hide and seek.
    I have had some good ideas that seem to disappear from my brain. Then I get upset with myself and almost give up on the idea. I wonder if it would help if I were more organized?

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  22. I have a little of both. Am working on cultivating more of the attitude of expectancy.
    Blessings,
    Karen

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  23. Oh I love this post! Ah the JC penny catalog... are we related? You're right of course, it's our irrational love of the impossible that keeps us chugging along whether we want to believe it or not. We need to cling to that child-like hope. All of my hope lies in the Lord's good promises and lucky for me He really knows how to keep his word. =)

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  24. Well said, Jill! This is something that has been on my mind all week too. I'm an eternal dreamer so no, the impossible does not seem too far off from what can be.

    Thanks for sharing!

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