When they’re young, so many young children have no bigger goal, no bigger aspiration, than to grow up. They’re so excited to go to high school and college and fulfill their dream job – nurse, firefighter, policeman, whatever it is. I was one of those children, and to this day I still regret not savoring my time as a child.
I remember distinctly a time when I was in first grade, when I was so excited that my mom was going to take me and my sister to MacDonald’s for dinner. What a treat! When I soon found out she had a complication with work and we couldn’t go, I was devastated – I’m pretty sure I actually cried over the “ordeal.” Thinking back to that now, I just shake my head. Back then, my biggest worry was over a Happy Meal. I can’t even recall the last time I actually wanted to spend time with my mom. We can argue about pretty much anything.
As a child, you are worry-free. You fill your days with picture books and snack time and coloring galore. Now, my days are filled with homework and stress and boys, boys, boys. I have so much homework I can’t remember the last time I actually slept in my bed. I haven’t gone to bed before midnight on a school night since the 6th or 7th grade, and now I’m a freshman in high school.
My point is, as a child, we see the world through a cloud of innocence. Nothing is ever scary or hard, and only when you’re older do you start to see the evil in the world. You become exposed to sex, drugs, bullying, friends coming and going, school, homework, and maintaining a social life. Children don’t really have the maturity to appreciate what they have, but I guarantee that at some point in their lives, they’ll all look back on their younger years and will experience that same feeling of regret that I did.