I remember a time when the world seemed to be so much bigger than it is today. A time when the world was filled with endless possibilities and a sense of magic. What happened? How did we get here?
When I was young, I remember reading books about clouds, lava, trees, lightning, and oceans. I remember thinking to myself how amazing this world actually is – how complex and chaotic it can really be. I remember looking at mountains thinking they were large, vast, and unconquerable. There were distant lands and exotic countries I’d only heard about in songs and whispers were just out of reach, but maybe one day I’d go on a voyage around the world and visit them, losing myself in the mysteries that lay quietly waiting just for me….
I remember hearing tales of dragons, unicorns, and giants. These weren’t just tales though, they were real… for me. They felt real. Like I could meet them at any given moment if I went looking for them.
Sunset summers at the lake, imagining trips to an enchanted forest. Questing for sunken pirate treasure. Castles, princesses, and knights. Days spent looking up at the sky, watching the autumn leaves fall, or the stars twinkle from distant unexplored reaches of the galaxy.
Adventures!
A sense of the unknown…
What happened to us?
The funny thing is that the world really hasn’t changed. There are some differences from when I was young, yes, but for the most part, it is what it has always been – a living, breathing thing. A static being in a constant state of evolution. A puzzle. A contradiction. Known. And there are moments where I’m genuinely scared, horrified, and shocked by what I’m seeing in it. Worse yet, sometimes there’s no escape from it.
Something has changed.
But the truth is, the world is still a big place. Nature has not ceased to amaze. The mountains are indeed vast, if not a little more explored than I’d imagined. I’ve visited many of the places I’d only dreamt about so many years ago, and there are still many more yet to see. Autumn leaves still bring a smile to my face, and the stars make me wonder what secrets the galaxy may hold. And as for the tales of dragons, unicorns, giants, and enchanted forests…well…they still exist in me, as long as I’m not willing to forget them.
I’m grateful for this…
And yet, it’s not quite the same.
I just can’t help but think that the world is a lesser place without that sense of wonder, magic, and mystery we had when we were children.
I’m no longer a child.
But on life goes…
Image Credit: IzzyMedrano
The CJBuzz 