I want my elephant

"So isn't that what we're all asking in our own lives, 'Where's my elephant?'? I know that's what I've been asking." -Kent Brockman

As many of you should know (because I am assuming everyone should watch The Simpsons), the episode I'm alluding to is the one where Bart wins some radio contest where he gets the choice of an elephant (the gag prize) or $10000. Bart being the adolecent that he is chooses the elephant. Initially the radio station refuses to give him the elephant and a whole fiasco comes about because of it.

But let's think for a moment. Where is my elephant? It seems that as we grow older and more "mature," we come to ask this question less and less. Now I'm not talking about a literal elephant, but something that we so desired as a child that may seem so ridiculous. But what's wrong with ridiculous? Life was so much simpler as a child. Well now that I think about it maybe not so much. We've lost much of the wisdom of innocence. Wow! did I just say that? Maybe I should've been a philosophy major. yeah right...

But anyhoo let's expand upon that idea of wisdom of innocence... The life of a child is not as simple as many would claim. I'd say to the contrary. Everyday was an adventure and everyday was a lesson, an education. Something that I'm guessing most adults cannot say of their own lives at the present. With all these lessons and chaos going around them, it is surprising to think of how resilient children really are. But in other ways being a child was simple. Despite all these new lessons and adventures being bombarded at them, there were very few rules to really live by. but I digress...

What I'm trying to get across is... if you were to get on a time machine and travel back in time to when you were a kid, what would your kid-self say/think of you? Essentially, it seems that as we get older we become more and more cynical, paranoid, etc. The main issue is cynicism. I guess as a child I always wanted to see the good in people and generally try to be nice/pleasant to everyone. Really if we kept that kind of mentality don't you think the world would be good place? It is also as a child when we are constantly asked what we want to do when we grow up. I guess I'm tying this entry with a previous one about passion, but let's see where this takes us. As we are growing up, we always had these ideals of what we wanted to be as we grow up, but looking at some of the career choices that many have made, is that really what they wanted to be when they were growing up? What happened in their course of life to make them choose occupations that strayed so far from their original plans?

Growing up I wanted to be three things a doctor, archaeologist or paleontologist, or a superhero. yeah, think about it... Most of all I wanted to be a doctor (with some superhero qualities). Essentially I wanted to be able to save lives, make a difference, etc. Then I was hit with the reality of the fact that I can't save everyone and that most likely I will lose a patient. Certainly I could've chosen a field where I can't lose patients but I wanted to work in pediatric oncology or neurology. Well, I guess losing patients doesn't happen all that much in neurology, but as I became more acquainted with that field I've learned that all to often there is nothing I can do for my patients and would have to watch them suffer. Essentially, I knew I couldn't bear such responsibilities and hardships. However, this revelation didn't come until I was well into college.

Luckily, I decided to also be an anthropology major at the time, which has led me toward archaeology. So essentially, despite my path in life I was able to stick with something I wanted to be as I was growing up.

However, I am trying to maintain some of that child-like innocence in my life. During my junior/senior years in college I realized how cynical I became and started toward a more idyllic approach to life and people. And I must say I am really liking it a lot.

But what happens to people that cause them to lose such innocence (remember, I am not equating innocence with naivete)? I guess I am imploring people to find that innocence to find what they are truly passionate about in life and go for it. And in the end when we ask ourselves "where's my elephant?" we can reply back to ourselves "It's with you."

yeah, think about it...