Growing Down

When I was a kid I woke up every morning excited about the adventure ahead of me. I would play, explore, create, and discover. I would walk out into the woods, not knowing where I was going, and find my own path in and out, captivated by the astonishing world around me. I would ride my bike as far as I could before the sun went down. I would play sports with my friends for hours, simultaneously wearing dirt patches into the grass and grass stains onto our pants and t shirts.

And then came the day when someone asked me, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” This harmless question would forever alter my life. Now instead of enjoying today I was thinking about tomorrow. Where would I go to school? What would I study? How would I make the most money? What was I passionate about? What would I find fulfillment in? What was I meant to do?

Before I had time to answer the first question I was confronted by the next, and before I knew it my childhood was gone and I was left at a loss for what I should be doing with my life.

I still can’t tell you what I want to do when I grow up. Maybe I want to be an artist. Maybe I want to own a business. Maybe I want to be a philanthropist. I know one thing for sure, though: I want to get lost in the woods again. I want to play so hard that I wear dirt patches in the grass and wear out my new jeans. When I grow up I want to be a kid.