We start as little kids with wide eyed fairy tale dreams...and then eventually grow up to deal with "the adult world" and "adult problems".
Growing up is inevitable, but doesn't mean you have to lose the dreams and your youthful beginnings.
I just spent a week with my mom in Walt Disney World. I think we reminded each other that you are never to old to be young:
- Its ok to be first in line for the bus to take you to the Magic Kingdom, even if you are pushing 55 and may have stepped over an 8 year old to obtain your spot in line.
- It is ok to make sure you see the park opening, and its even more ok to be so ecstatic that you tear up as Mickey and his friends welcome you to the Magic Kingdom.
- It is perfectly acceptable to be 27 and the only one in line above 4 feet tall, waiting your turn to hug Chip and Dale. (it make way more sense when Chip proposes to you, that would just be weird to do to a 2 year old, she definitely would not understand)
- When Alice asks you "Do you know the white Rabbit?" and all you want to do is scream "Of course I do, I've only seen your movie a bazillion times in my 27 years of existence, where is the Mad Hatter? Do you guys have time for a tea party? Can we sing twinkle twinkle little bat?"...that too is perfectly fine, however to not seem so crazy you simply stick with a hug and "oh of course I do Alice :)"
- It is 100% fine to ride Splash Mountain as many times as possible, and sing zipp-a-dee-do-da with the animals the whole time.
- Riding the brand new Little Mermaid ride multiple times, taking pictures, and singing along among all the 5 year olds is definitely not weird...(considering I saw the movie 8 times when it was in theaters almost 20 years ago)
- But most importantly, watching little girls and boys experience the magic of Disney for the first time is enough to keep you young at heart. Their innocence is what keeps the magic alive for us as we grow older. Helping them to have a fantastic experience is completely acceptable and entirely necessary.
My Mom & Dad instilled in me a love for Disney that will make it so even as I physically age my heart and soul will always default to youth and innocence. If I can do that for others in my everyday life even if it is just a spoonful of sugar's worth, then I have succeeded; in turn keeping "youthfulness" alive.
