When we are born we are all sweet and simple.
Then, we start growing up.
As we begin the process of growing up, we start losing our innocence. We begin to believe that all that is sweet and simple is childish and needs to be done away with. In the beginning, an individual enjoys the process of growing up, especially the guilty pleasures that are associated with the first sins. With time, however, the pleasure aspect begins to diminish, and the guilt part becomes powerful until there comes a time when a deep yearning for return to innocence takes birth in the heart.
Along with the yearning for innocence, there is another voice in our hearts that tells us that it is too late.
"Innocence, once lost, can't be regained, you fool," the voice tells us, and we believe it.
The yearning for innocence is quickly overpowered by this other voice that tells us that we are doomed to live with this complicated and unforgiving life.
The choice, however, is always ours.
The innocence that we believe to be lost is never lost. It is always insides us, even if it is hidden under layers of "real-life advice" and "worldly wisdom" that we have acquired over the years. We can choose to uncover these layers, or we can choose to put more layers on it, so that it is lost forever.
What are you choosing?
(Image courtesy: andreyutzu from sxc.hu)
