Innocence

Innocence
Writers' Post #25

The days of innocence are not carefree. I,of course, mean that just because one has not experienced something doesn't mean one doesn't worry about what if, when, where or how that something might occur.

Before the first date, for example, one would be completely innocent.  One would not be carefree, however. This is a time when a person imagines all sorts of outcomes and all manner of horrid things that could go wrong as well as all kinds of wonderful things that might happen.  It's the innocence that makes the unknown kind of exciting and at the same time frightful. Once the first date is history, there is a certain loss of innocence.

The first job interview is another fine example of how innocence is a double edged sword.  The inexperience is obvious to the interviewer and that can be refreshing.  It can also be off-putting.  If the job requires some amount of professionalism and it is clear during the interview process this is going to be the first job, it might well be an uphill climb for the innocent.  On the other hand, if a fresh outlook is helpful and on-the-job training is offered, the innocent may breeze through thoroughly in the favor of the questioner.  Once the interview is over, the innocent is somewhat seasoned and will not enter the next interview quite so wide-eyed.

So many of life's adventures can only be done innocently one time.  After the initial experience, it's different.  Usually better with some history, but different either way.  I think this is true with almost everything, well, except death.  That we do only once, usually.  Though there are many who have 'died' and been resuscitated, making death a multiple experience for them.  I imagine the fear of all things death related dissipates after that. It is the one thing in our lives about which we all have our own private and innocent thoughts.

For me, personally, there aren't many things I can think of that I could innocently undertake. I have done most of the things I want to do with the years I have left here.  Oh, I have many things I want to do again, but there's not much that would be a new experience in my future, I don't believe.  The only place where I really possess innocence is aging.  I am doing that daily and never having been this old before, it's unknown territory for me.  I innocently lunge forward through my golden years wide eyed and excited to see what's next.

Innocence is mostly for the young and I sure had my time of innocently jumping into things to qualify me for adulthood.  I imagine some of those things could be considered stupid and most assuredly ill-advised, but how would I have known that, exactly without trying.   Once I reached the age of adulthood, according to the law and most of the population, around 21, I had already married and given birth to two babies. I had a lot of innocence left in me at that point, but I also had a good deal of experience.  My twenties were learning years, to say the least.  I had jumped head long into adulthood and then innocently started experiencing life in the real world.

Innocence=lack of living.  Nothing mysterious about it.  As you live, you lose innocence.  As you lose innocence, you gain confidence and history gives you wisdom.  The circle of life.

Jo