Childlike wonder (and have we lost it?)

[CelticRambler]

A few years ago, wandering through a park in the Italian city of Aoste, I spotted this bambina standing transfixed by an impromptu performance by a ten-piece orchestra. While they were setting up, she'd been chasing her younger brother in and out of the trees, like children do, but then came to a complete stop when they started to play. She remained frozen in that position, listening to the music, long enough for me to acknowledge the fact that she was stock still, and long enough again for me to get my camera out and take the photo.



That incident came back to me on Saturday evening during my first dance of the night. As is the custom, I invited a random stranger to be my partner for a waltz - this one, this group; nothing special, but with enough "character" to inspire a bit of creative choreography with a receptive partner. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed another (younger) girl standing alone in the centre of the dancefloor, looking more-or-less in our direction ... but that's kind of normal, so didn't pay much heed to it. Except that she fixed her gaze upon us, and every time she came again into my line of sight, she had rotated a few degrees more, on the spot, to keep us in view, and did so for a good two minutes or more.

I don't know what she saw (and no, it wasn't her wondering why a weird man was cuddling her mother - I asked my partner afterwards if she knew who the child was; she didn't) but it got me thinking about "the innocence of childhood" and how we modern adults have largely killed off that experience of awesome wonder, because we're too busy instagramming it, or because we're paranoid about who might be watching us being dumbstruck, or because we can't help sciencing the hell out of it, or simply because we've seen too many documentaries and the Real Thing has no novelty value by the time we get to see it.

Anyway, that's enough philosophising for now; back to running electric cables and dry lining the chicken shed.

[Leg End Reject]

Old thread but here goes.

I think our parents knock a lot of it out of us telling us not to stare, stop doing this or that and, the most-feared - act our age. Then later we want to be older
and finally the emergence and development of cynicism kills the remnants of any remaining child-like wonder.

It's a pity, adulthood would be much more enjoyable with some of the wonder, curiosity and enthusiasm of childhood. Youth is definitely wasted on the young.

[kadman]

Plus they did their best to stop us using our imagination whilst daydreaming in school, and taught us constant repetition of required topics for our initiation into the work force.Now they can think for us, and tell us what to think, so our brains can remain in a dormant, compliant state.

[Apelles]

Old thread but here goes.

I think our parents knock a lot of it out of us telling us not to stare, stop doing this or that and, the most-feared - act our age. Then later we want to be older
and finally the emergence and development of cynicism kills the remnants of any remaining child-like wonder.

It's a pity, adulthood would be much more enjoyable with some of the wonder, curiosity and enthusiasm of childhood. Youth is definitely wasted on the young.

I was always in trouble for not paying attention and daydreaming in school.

Sadly, any touch of that 'child like wonder' I might still have left, tends to quickly dissipate, whenever it dawns on me that this
months mortgage payment didn't go through, or the car tax and insurance is way out of date.

[Leg End Reject]

Primary school - rattling off tables and snippets of facts without any understanding or being able to apply them.

It's no wonder we became cynical!

[95438756]

The cinema industry here want their audience to hold some "childlike wonder":
Looking at the fantastic painting of the latest Indiana Jones movie outside rathmines omniplex. you"d think the movie must be some true epic masterpiece like Lawrence of Arabia, and not some production scraping the bottom of the barrel out of such a tired worn out franchise
Grown fully cynical in my old age now.

[isha]

I find drawing helps me experience some childlike wonder. And DIY. And the sea. And bonfires outside.

Recently I spent a couple of months of free time illustrating a children's book I wrote which will never see the light of day in the general public because I'm not sending any more stuff out to publishers or agents, it's a pain in the ass, I'm done with that rollercoaster forever. But I put together a sample copy of the book to have at home and got it printed and it came yesterday and I simply love it. It's only going to exist as that one copy but it gives me such a thrill. As big a kick as when a kid has their art pinned to the fridge. It honestly makes me feel like jumping up and down.

Shooting for buttons ( no reward) is what children do - it's where it's at.
Photos of little portions of a couple of the pictures... squuuueeeeeeeeee!

[Del.Monte]

Love the turtles - more pics please!

[Apelles]

I find drawing helps me experience some childlike wonder. And DIY. And the sea. And bonfires outside.

Recently I spent a couple of months of free time illustrating a children's book I wrote which will never see the light of day in the general public because I'm not sending any more stuff out to publishers or agents, it's a pain in the ass, I'm done with that rollercoaster forever. But I put together a sample copy of the book to have at home and got it printed and it came yesterday and I simply love it. It's only going to exist as that one copy but it gives me such a thrill. As big a kick as when a kid has their art pinned to the fridge. It honestly makes me feel like jumping up and down.

Shooting for buttons ( no reward) is what children do - it's where it's at.
Photos of little portions of a couple of the pictures... squuuueeeeeeeeee!

Very nice illustrations isha, your talents know no bounds. How do you find the time?
I must be in the minority on here, as I've never dreamed or even attempted to have a book published.

[isha]

I have now got five books at home which I have written and have printed so that they exist in some physical form in the world, three novels, one non fiction and now a children's book. I'm a really REALLY successful unpublished writer
I make time between all the incredibly boring, tiring, stressful-but pays the bills stuff. Right now tonight I'm working on yet another short film which will remain unknown and unseen, but it gives me a lot of pleasure, wonder and meaning to make stuff. Not least because of the fantastic places I go and the long walks off the beaten track to get film. I love it. I've made my peace with total lack of what is known as success. My children are great fans of my work which is thrilling.

[Leg End Reject]

@Isha (does the @ thingy work here?), many authors have been turned down by many publishers before one says yes, and many authors give up before finding the one publisher who will say yes.

I say keep trying, I love the illustrations you've shared here. I've no artistic talent, but I admire and am envious of it in equal measure. I have often bought a book because I liked the illustration on the front cover, and still have illustrated books from childhood that curated a lifelong love of reading.