Forever Young, I Wanna Be
Yesterday I found myself thinking how nice it would be to be a child again. I mean, say there comes an opportunity to go back in time for a year and be eight again… I’d totally take it. Having spent the most part of Saturday on my feet and not getting to sleep enough to actually rest before trying to make it to church on Sunday morning. I did make it but it was a “stand up and let us pray” kinda service. I’d totally have enjoyed standing up to dance or sitting and listening cause while the later is most comfortable and welcome the former would have been fun. There’s also the whole thing about one being young and therefore should stand longer than everyone else especially those older… so sitting with my parents who pulled off the standing thing well was kind of a burden on my tired feet.
When I was younger, much younger, I used to seat with pops during Sunday services and when I had danced to my heart’s fill or until the praises lasted then I’d cosy up to him and sleep through the rest of the program. Good times!
Now, I’m grown and responsible and soooo tired, I just wish somebody would carry me.
Here’s a thought for the younger generation though, stay young for as long as you can. I saw a meme a while ago with two dogs and their owner. The older dog said to the puppy “the longer you act like you don’t know the more treats you get”. Because once they realized you’ve learned they stop treating you with kid gloves, literally.
That meme has stayed with me for the longest time because I wish I’d had that knowledge as a child. See I was super enthusiastic about a lot of things back then- doing the dishes, running errands, washing the car, cooking, cleaning… you know everything I didn’t necessarily have to do as a child considering the fact that there were at least four older persons living in the house with me per time.
Don’t misunderstand me, being enthused isn’t a bad thing, in fact it’s a trait I admire in people really. The thing though is that people are users, it’s inherent and subconscious most of the time but it is what it is. So if I know that you can do something I’d keep asking you to do it, especially if I know you can’t decline. It’s probably an African or Nigerian thing but age and respect can do that. Once I learned how to do the dishes I didn’t stop except I changed location and then until another enthusiastic person came along.
My younger sister is the perfect example of what I’m trying to say. She never had to do anything until she was ready, not because she couldn’t do those things, she just put them off long enough and it worked perfectly because nobody knew she could actually handle stuff.
This is an unpopular and probably unrelated opinion but really I think kids should be allowed to be kids. Don’t pressure them with all these responsiblities because they asked to learn. “Err… you learned how to turn semo yesterday and you did it well enough so now it’s your duty for the rest of your life”. No fair!
Sincerely, I feel like I’ve been twenty-eight years old for the last five years and I’m not even twenty-seven. I’m tired, so tired.
Anyway, in summary, life comes at you anyhow so if you can postpone it, why not. Let children be children. Don’t saddle a seven year old with the responsibility of “mummying” their younger ones or a fifteen year old with looking after the house cause they need to be “wife material”. Like I said, unpopular but I insist that children should at least enjoy their childhood as much as possible cause they’d need the memory of those times to take them through adulthood.
Right now, my feet hurt and I just wish I was younger cause younger means rest and acceptable excuses and piggybacking and bouncing castles and falling asleep in the weirdest locations and positions.
Chores are basic and everyone should do their chores, it’s only right. I used it as an example because most everyone can relate to it. And yes, every now and then but certainly not everyday, they’re children for Christ sake!!!!
Sincerely, a tired adult.
