Life… Not Just for Kids!

I grew up in Greensboro, NC back in the 60’s and 70’s. Here was where my family lived ‘till we moved to Raleigh, NC back in late 70’s. I am not sure about you, but now that I am officially an ‘adult’, I think back to the wonderful magic of childhood and miss it.

It is hard to describe, but it is almost like there is something back there, still alive and calling us to the presence of the past that is living within. I have been fortunate, in that I never moved far from my childhood home. Even college, for me was in Winston-Salem, a 30 minute drive down the road. Just about any day, if I so chose, I would drive to the old neighborhood, the elementary school, and see the ‘evolution’, or in my case, the ‘de-evolution’ of the old homestead where I first rode a bike, built things, climbed trees, had my first crush, and all the adventures that childhood brings.

I think we live our lives in such a way that we move on from segment to segment, dogging the latches of the past, while we continue to move forward towards the future. From time to time, something like the aroma of Mom’s apple pie, or Dad’s aftershave, unlocks or ‘un-dogs’ those latches and memories can overwhelm and overtake the present.

If any of you have ever attempted to go back and capture the essence of your childhood, you know it is hard to recreate. It has happened from time to time with me, through music. I will hear something that triggers the past, especially when I am not looking for it, and it takes me back to a time and place where my mind explodes into a maelstrom of jumbled memories embedded in my soul, ready to erupt with the correct trigger. Sometime they make sense, and sometimes they don’t. In my years, I have learned to ‘let it be’ and ‘it’ will find what it will.

One of the most iconic places and images of the 60’s and 70’s was Disney World Orlando. This truly was a place where dreams come true. Back in our day, there were only 3 channels on the TV. Sunday nights always had the best shows for us, but we were church-goers so we didn’t get to watch them often. However, if one of us faked a good enough cold, we would stay home and watch ‘Mutual of Omaha’s, Wild Kingdom’ and then ‘The Wonderful World of Disney’. This hour long Disney show was the stuff kids lived for, and it was an amazing treat for us to sit together and disappear into the World of Walt Disney.

This past week, I took a journey for work down to Disney World. This was the first time I’ve really had a chance, since the summer of 1974, to revisit that time and place in my life. I found myself lost in memories of family, laughter, adventure, pirates, Goofy, Donald, Mickey, and the whole cast. It played out not just in my head, but in my heart and soul. Though I never ventured into the park this last week, I was staying in the Contemporary Suites on Bay Lake, overlooking the Magic Kingdom and Space Mountain.

My first night, I heard a commotion while sitting under the stars by Bay Lake. A tour boat was landing at the dock and I heard the captain announce, “There he is, Peter himself!”, and to my wonderment and delight, Peter Pan came flitting down the dock with 25 small children trailing him, dressed as Native Americans (Indians from my day), feathers and all (the lost boys for sure!), screaming at the top of their lungs in total delight, as they chased a dream come true. I started to believe ‘Peter Pan was real and alive’. Even though I didn’t see ‘Tink’ scattering Pixie Dust, the magic was there, and I found myself wanting to paint my face, put down adulthood for 5 minutes, and try to catch Peter’s shadow for him.

As I walked, I found parts of my childhood waiting for me, wondering where I had been. I boarded the monorail in the Tower and was whisked off into the past, on this ‘futuristic’ form of transportation, that surely would be in every city and town by the time I was grown. I sat and looked out the tinted windows at night, as Cinderella’s castle slowly drifted past, lit from top to bottom like a wedding cake. The skyline was full of lights, rides, palm trees, and what makes Disney it’s best… childhood dreams.

I wondered if the monorail I was on was the same one from 40 plus years ago, that little Jeff sat on? I wondered if I ran into my young self, would I tell him to prepare himself for life – like marriage, divorce, daughter’s death, loss of house, loss of love, new son, new start, new love and life, etc… or what?

What I found was astonishing and time-bending. I wouldn’t, or didn’t get a chance to say anything to my young self, because he was already speaking.

He asked clearly, “Where is your cardboard space helmet for Space Mountain, and why didn’t you bring your bag of Pixie Dust? What happened to your Pilot’s Helmet, and your cardboard sword for the pirates? Don’t you know pirates are dangerous and they can hurt you?”

I could see a small child, with straight black hair, and brown chestnut eyes looking at me and wondering why I wasn’t living life the way it was meant to be lived. As the monorail bumped down and around the park, I saw the rides, trees, waterways, balloons, and tour boats.

Little Jeff said, as if he didn’t understand that I was an adult, “You know Captain Hook is a real mean guy and you’d better be careful. He is lurking in the park and it’s dark!”

There are many things I saw as little Jeff sat with his brothers and parents talking to me casually as if no time had passed since 1974, and we, mom, dad and my brothers, were all ready for the next ride. Part of me felt silly watching this all play out in my head, but I am not sure it was. I think little Jeff was really there and still is, telling me, and all of us, “It’s time to stop playing life, and get down to the adventure of living.”

So I am challenging you to put down the check book, smart phone, TV, and bad news. I am saying let’s stand up, put on your ‘cardboard sword’ and ‘charge’ ahead, because Captain Hook is around, and this journey is an adventure meant to be experienced all throughout life… not just for kids!

See you on the road,