Well, as usual I have been remiss in writing in my blog. Not that I have not had a lot to write about but the spirit has not moved me lately. Today I would like to write less about my daily life and make a personal observation. I have been thinking about this topic for some time now. What it is is the loss of the child-like qualities of life as one becomes an adult. I remember vividly how as a child (up to about 16 or so) life seemed to be so much more real, alive, and exciting than it is as a adult. I can remember the fascination that so many routine aspects of life held for me back then. Science really excited me when I was a child. I delved into everything from biology, chemistry, electronics, to model rocketry. The fascination and excitement that made looking at pond water under a microscope such a wonderful adventure is sorely missing from my life now. I used to be filled with excitement doing chemistry experiments, building crystal radios, launching model rockets, and doing magic tricks. I don’t think depression, anxiety, and worry existed for me as a child. I can remember when we moved to Florida and along the way we stopped at a rest area. I walked into the woods behind the rest area, looking at the strange trees, plants, and spanish moss and feeling like I was in another new and exciting world. Getting out of school for the summer was like beginning a wonderous and endless new adventure.

Today, much of that wonder, excitement, and joy is gone. I don’t mean to sound like I am depressed and nothing brings any joy any more, it is just that the degree to which I feel such emotions is much diminished from when I was a child. I no longer enjoy any of my hobbies with quite the enthusiasm, excitement, and joy that I did as a child. Even traveling to new places like my recent trips to Belize, St. Lucia, San Francisco, and Las Vegas did not bring the level of excitement, wonder, and awe that that day among the trees as a child on my way to Florida did. I miss that. I guess most people probably feel the way I do, at least to some degree. Wouldn’t the world be a much better place if we could still retain the childlike qualities that made being a child such a wonderful experience. On my trip to Alaska next year, I hope to recapture some of those feelings and emotions. I really need to be able to do that. Wish me luck.