June 15, 2020

I've Still Got It (An essay by Tom Balistreri)

Today as I was reading many blog posts from various writers a thought occurred to me,
“I still got it.”
Got what? you may ask.
Child like wonder.
Or maybe it’s better called a positive attitude, or optimism, or hope.
I don’t know if any of those words describe what it is that I have.
I just know I’ve got it.
I can remember being a child.
I can recall my feelings and views towards the world that I had then.
I can relive them like it was yesterday.
I mentally can put myself back there and think like I did then.
Age has brought me experience.
It can bring a bit of callousness upon a person.
Maybe as a form of self protection.
But children see the world as very clear cut.
There are bad guys and good guys.
Right and wrong.
Cool and yucky.
I think kids are more realistic than adults.
The grown ups seems to be full of cynicism.
The media is all put downs, and gotchas.
Bad news makes good news.
If the other person has a different point of view, then it must be based on an evil ulterior motive.
Maybe I’m naive.
I try to remember to look at things through the eyes of a naive child.
Not always, but not enough.
I like a good joke. I like insult humor.
But I don’t like hurting anyone. Even if meant in good humor.
So I use the insults on myself.
It’s an excuse to have some humor at no ones expense but my own.
There is still kindness in the world.
I try to be part of it.
I know there are many who also are the positive souls on this planet.
Perhaps the reason the world is still here is because there are more of them than we realize.
They are just not as loud.
It is written:
“..Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 19:14
Perhaps that’s the secret.
To try to remember how to see things through the eyes and faith of a child.
I may not be perfect,
but I’d like to think,
I still got it
1956. The Author at 2 yrs old. The last time I caught a fish.

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