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?

Tweet

Share