We finally watched the live action Charlotte's Web tonight with Orion, and I was pleasantly surprised. I don't remember the book well enough to know how much of the narrative and dialog was accurate, but I just loved their town doctor so much. When the mom first asks him if he thinks it is strange her daughter thinks animals can talk, he says, "Maybe an animal has said something to me, and I just wasn't listening carefully." The mother continues to say how worried she is about how much time her daughter spends in the barn, and he says, "There is a name for Fern's condition. It's called childhood, and sadly, she will outgrow it."
Of course this has got me thinking about what is it that changes as we grow up. It has often bothered me that I just don't like to sit and play pretend with Orion. Maybe it is the repetitiveness of what he likes at his age, and I will enjoy it more later. But even so, I don't think I can ever return to the magical mind frame that allowed me to spend hours in the backyard pretending I was on a deserted island, and more importantly that sense of feeling like my pretend play was REAL. Is it the responsibilities of adulthood that change us, or does something really shift in our brains? I know I can sometimes get to a similar place when I am dancing or creating art, but there is always an ending time looming over my head. I wonder if some people are able to return to this state in their older years. Or are there a few very lucky ones who never lose it? I am not sure, but I know I would like to be able to enjoy pretend play more.
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