Its just a thought for my first entry:
- When you become "too old" in engage in a certain activity?
In terms of any activity, is it a social or personal decision? Do you stop when people tell you to or are some things ingrained? Bringing this to reality: this afternoon between my last class and rehearsal, I felt the urge to color.
I purchased my lunch at the trendy 7/11, scuttled over to the local $.99 store and acquired a Justice League coloring book and 24 [awful] crayons (all for $1.07!). I headed back to school, abandoned my sandwich and applesauce, and zipped to the only desk in the dim music room. People were hurriedly arriving while I was blissfully coloring the Green Lantern and Superman their proper colors.
What people would think had flitted across my mind, but I haven't given any real though to it and was literally bombarded by different responses [many I could have done without] as the small room filled with my peers. "Are you OK?", "Oh neat, crayons!", "What class is this for?", "So, this is your secret to being so chill." - but the one that I heard repeatedly and stuck with me was: "Aren't you too old to be coloring?"
Geez, I still announce that "I have to pee", are attracted to shiny objects and own a Tivo dominated by animated shows. But in most respects am pretty mature when I need to be. What does this say about me and people like me? Is it the fact that we let our "inner child" continue to enjoy the same activities at a rate that it did when it was our Id? Or that we so much enjoy the carefree periods of our life, we are willing to subject ourselves to social criticism in order to continue doing the childish things we love?
Whats gonna happen to the next generation who are being born not into the creation of cellphones, ipods & sidekicks, sexy myspace pics, increasing youth & social responsibility but the rapid increase of their introduction at younger and younger ages. [What does a 5yr old need with a pimped out cell phone?! They should still be accompanied by an adult at all times - not an electronic leash.]
"When are you ever too old to color?" was my high-five'd response to those Haters [Ha]. It made me ponder some things: are we a generation that puts so much emphasis on the finer and more "grown-up" things in life that we forget that these lesser and "childish" things were not long ago for many of us?
So I challenge you, go find a coloring book and some crayons. I'll be damned what anyone tells me, and you should too, Its strangely therapeutic fun.
