The Flowery Journal My Sister Gave Me (Part 8)

More Journal Stuff.

Note: The blue is what was printed in the journal. The green is what I wrote (in 1996)



On this page, the journal pretty much asked me to write an essay on my thoughts about childhood.  I have this feeling that I wrote sarcastic things. But I might be wrong.

Childhood which I think of being the ages from 1.5-12 is a time when everything is blown out of proportion in both negative and positive ways.

Yeah. Okay. But I think that applies to teenagers and adults as well.

Does it apply more to children? Maybe. I'm not so sure.

A child is very easily hurt. Not getting to buy their favorite cereal can seem like a terrible tragedy to them. Being rejected by a friend in the form of not being invited to a birthday party is like the end of the world.

I can now handle not being able to buy my favorite cereal. If I was rejected or not invited? Well, it may not feel like the end of the world, but it would definitely hurt a lot. At some point in the drama, it's likely I might wish I were dead.

Children also see trivial happenings as being superb triumphs. A compliment from a teacher can make them so happy. Getting a neat toy out of a cereal box can probably make them as happy as an old lady winning 10 million dollars.

Bless all the children and adults who can manage to get happy and excited over small things. And that does include myself.

What is mundane to an adult can be wonderful for a child. Then also what is a miracle to an adult can be dull to a child.  

Yeah. Sort of. Maybe.

When I was 19, my parents took my sisters and me to France and England. They wanted to show us a lot of history stuff, and we could hardly care less. My sisters and I were bored with all that.

I think I had this idea that we'd change when we'd get older. We'd end up loving history tours.

Well, I'm 45 now, and I'm still not fond of history tours. When I travel, I'd rather chill. I like to walk, eat, and enjoy the surroundings. I rarely like going on tours.

Also, my parents have a close friend who greatly frustrated them in Paris by choosing to go to Disneyland instead of a history tour. 

So, although, I think age changes our interests and desires to some degree. I think it's mostly about personality.

Adults like to find hidden assetts. Kids like to find Easter Eggs and dimes. Adults are awed by sunsets. Children are awed by giant playground and Showbiz Pizza. 

I probably would prefer to find hidden assets over dimes and easter eggs. Though I do love candy hunts.  I haven't had one of those in a LONG time.  Well, and I probably haven't been the hunter in an even longer time.

I think maybe the last time we had Jack hunt for candy is when we celebrated Easter with friends in Australia.

I think I used to like sunsets, but then I saw too many photos of them and got sick of it.

I'm not sure how I feel about playgrounds. I was more interested when Jack was young and wanted to play on them. Now I don't really notice them. I think a playground would have to be really spectacular to catch my attention.  Or controversial, like that one where no parents are allowed, and the kids can start fires. 




How would our world change if we knew for sure there was life after death, and it was easy for our dearly-departed to talk to us via the Internet?   

The Dead are Online, a novel by Dina Roberts