If You're Young at Heart

Like most philosophers, wisdom comes when I am washing the dishes. Or at least that is when the most unexpected but very much needed ideas pop into my head. Yesterday, the idea was in the form of song. Frank Sinatra's "Young At Heart" to be exact. The lyrics go something like this...

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you 

If you're young at heart. 

For it's hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind

If you're young at heart. 

You can go to extremes with impossible schemes. 

You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams. 

And life gets more exciting with each passing day. 

And love is either in your heart, or on it's way. 

I am often critical of my childlikeness.  It was only a few years ago where I began to appreciate this quality about myself, and that was only after a friend pointed out that my childlikeness was a source of joy and entertainment for the other in the midst distress or hardship.  Historically, I always thought my easy-to-tease-ness, gullible-ness, excitement about silly little things, head-in-the-clouds-ness and propensity to put people on pillars was immaturity and ignorance. I spent many nights loathing this about my personality and worrying what others thought about me. But I couldn’t have been more wrong; and while was washing dishes I was reminded of the importance of being young at heart.

Being young at heart, or childlike, has enabled me to dream and remain hopeful in the midst of despairing moments. Being childlike has enabled me to maintain faith in others and continue to expect excellence from them even when trust has been broken. And being childlike has enabled me to believe in myself and continue working towards goals I set out for myself even when I let me down. Being childlike helps me to have faith in the human race when the news is full of despicable happenings. And being childlike has enabled me to holdfast to my belief in God during times when you can't help but wonder "where was He?" 

I needed to hear this song today and be reminded of these things I already know, for as I look ahead onto this new year of possibilities and go through the mental list of all the things I hope to accomplish, the people I want to have time to invest in, and the various creative projects I wish to plan and carry out, I get a wee bit overwhelmed and begin to naysay it all. But, as the song says, “Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you if you're young at heart. For it's hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind if you're young at heart.” 

And just to make you giggle a little, here is a picture from when I was unabashedly young at heart.