Think Like a 4 Year Old

Childhood is the world of miracle or of magic: it is as if creation rose luminously out of the night, all new and fresh and astonishing. Childhood is over the moment things are no longer astonishing. When the world gives you a feeling of "déjà vu," when you are used to existence, you become an adult.

EUGENE IONESCO, Present Past / Past Present

What a gift childhood is. Coming to every new thing with wide eyed wonder. Celebrating every little new accomplishment. Doesn't it make you smile when you hear a child exclaim, "Look, I can tie my shoes!"  "Look,I can make a snow angel" "Look, I made a flower!" 

Then there are the things they say which have no basis in reality at all. They will look at you and tell you with solemn seriousness and a prideful look. "I can Fly!" I'm a superhero!"  "I can jump to the top of that building!" "My friends and I are all princesses." 

Children come to the world with no prior knowledge. Everything they encounter is fresh and awesome and wonderful the first time. Its a discovery.

Everything they learn to accomplish comes with unbridled pride and joy as they discover human powers that they didn't know they had.

Do you ever look closely at children's art? Some times it is astonishing in it's inventiveness.

That wild imagination totally loosens itself in their art. They don't know that there are supposed to be RULES. That's something we impose on them over time, killing for a while the natural inclination to let unfettered creativity show itself. It has to be rediscovered.

Why must being an adult mean losing this wonder, joy, pride and freedom?

I want to think like a 4 year old again. I want to get truly excited when I learn that I can do something new and I want to celebrate it loudly.

I want to be completely astonished by every new flower I see, every fact I learn about the universe, every simple thing that surrounds me.

I want to totally let go. I want to create art straight from my imagination. I want to forget the rules imposed on me. I want to forget any "adults don't do that" voices in my head....

I want my colors, my creations, my joy, my excitement to be my superpowers. I want to feel a thump, thump, thump in my heart and have a wide smile spread over my face with every new thing I make. I will not suppress it. I will live in 4 year old joy!

Radiant Child © 2005 Karen O'Lone -Hahn