“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; You have a right to be here.”
- Max Ehrmann, Desiderata
I always remember those lines from Desiderata. It reminds you that all things matter equally and have the right to exist. But I want to focus on one word: “child.” While we are children of the universe, should we all act as one?
Adulthood is defined by responsibility. We own our tasks, take accountability, and reciprocate understanding in our relationships with little to no judgment. As children, we may not have fully understood those concepts. We only accepted the fact that we were carefree. To not think of the world’s problems but rather the world’s wonders. To be curious, from asking what trees are to how birds fly. To cry because someone broke your favorite item or you may have lost someone you loved, even for a day.
Some people have lost those qualities upon their transition to adulthood. After graduating from college, these people have a question mark floating above their minds, asking, “What should I do now?” They are like lost sheep, struggling to find their way around the world. That is, until they stop and reflect on their childhood. How happy they were before, and how they could bring back that same joy as adults. It’s a choice they can only make themselves.