Forever Young

There is a part of me that wants to be forever young. Young of heart, in mind, of body and in spirit.
This nourishes my inner-child and helps to keep me playful, imaginative and curious. This allows me to not take life so seriously.
I admire the way that youth approach life with an adventurous way of seeing and being. The young are not afraid to express themselves in their language, dress and through music. They find it natural to question the status quo and take risks. They are open to new ideas. They seem to experience life very deeply and live in the moment more easily.
Sometimes it saddens me to think about getting older. This happens most when my focus is on regret and what I feel I might be losing - when I cling to the idea of youthfulness. However, if I stop and reflect on my feelings and really look without judgement at the emotions underneath, I find I can let go of the regret and turn my focus - I can be grateful for the wisdom and courage my years have imparted and still be young inside.
It saddens me also when I see how society can rob a once free-spirited soul of its spontaneity, of its individuality and uniqueness. I must resist this - I don't want to lose the sense of my childlike self - I don't want to give into the expectations and limitations of living my life through the collective unconscious.
Sometimes I feel very isolated by the things about me I like most - the things that make me unique - but I will not give up or give in to outside pressure to "fit in". I will continue to seek out the fun in life. To nurture my inner child and let her know that she is safe to dance, sing, be silly, laugh, play games, dream, dress up, pretend and be full-on colorful. It is important that this part of me always be forever young and free.