It's interesting that you should talk about the idea of feeling
young; I've been thinking about that a lot lately, especially
while writing about childhood.
Overall I have to say that I was not all that chuffed* about being a
child at the time. I was usually the frowning, brooding child in
photographs, as if I carried the weight of the world. In my teens
people always thought I was about five years older than I was, and
I'm sure a lot of that had to do with the fact that I was always
so serious.
Nowadays people are genuinely surprised if I tell them how old I am;
they often seem to think I'm about ten years younger than I really am
(and I'm sure they can't all just be flattering me). It
seems the case with a lot of people on this path, and maybe with
other spiritually inclined people as well.
Trying to lead a spiritual life has definitely given me a younger
outlook. I feel like I can have the best of childhood now by
nurturing child-like qualities such as purity, joy, simplicity,
spontaneity, trust, and openness, but with the strength and surety
that comes from spending time with the world and feeling more at ease
with it all. I laugh more and more, and I worry less and less as
time goes on. I suppose I feel lighter and lighter the more I offer
to God, and in that sense I feel like I am getting younger. Maybe I
can have a happy childhood after all. :-)
Sumangali
:oD
*Doris, if you are reading, I promised I would only occasionally
indulge in British slang didn't I? (Maybe this is Irish slang as
well?) Chuffed = very pleased.
Colm
Thanks so much for your kind words.
It's interesting that you should talk about the idea of feeling
young; I've been thinking about that a lot lately, especially
while writing about childhood.
Overall I have to say that I was not all that chuffed* about being a
child at the time. I was usually the frowning, brooding child in
photographs, as if I carried the weight of the world. In my teens
people always thought I was about five years older than I was, and
I'm sure a lot of that had to do with the fact that I was always
so serious.
Nowadays people are genuinely surprised if I tell them how old I am;
they often seem to think I'm about ten years younger than I really am
(and I'm sure they can't all just be flattering me). It
seems the case with a lot of people on this path, and maybe with
other spiritually inclined people as well.
Trying to lead a spiritual life has definitely given me a younger
outlook. I feel like I can have the best of childhood now by
nurturing child-like qualities such as purity, joy, simplicity,
spontaneity, trust, and openness, but with the strength and surety
that comes from spending time with the world and feeling more at ease
with it all. I laugh more and more, and I worry less and less as
time goes on. I suppose I feel lighter and lighter the more I offer
to God, and in that sense I feel like I am getting younger. Maybe I
can have a happy childhood after all. :-)
Sumangali
:oD
*Doris, if you are reading, I promised I would only occasionally
indulge in British slang didn't I? (Maybe this is Irish slang as
well?) Chuffed = very pleased.