Childish Things
by Paul McGoldrick
My namesake, Paul of Tarsus, is reported as writing to followers at Corinth, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." The apostle was probably not thinking about childrens' toys and the like (more likely he was referring to childish emotions) but at least at first glance the idea of putting away everything childish infers that you have to grow up. I would rather believe that there are things that we do not have to allow to grow up.
All of us, I hope, have some little things which are probably terribly childish: Certainly the best parents that I know still understand how to have fun with their children. What is wrong with playing Fish, or joining them in a school playground? I appreciate a father who buys a train set for his son -- just so he can play with it himself. Is there some rule about not reading a Harry Potter book because it was ostensibly written with children in mind? My 7-year old enjoyed the first four books, my wife enjoyed the first four books, and I enjoyed the first four books. More!!
But my favorite childish activity is -- and as it is probably for many adults -- Disney Land. It is a destination where grumpiness, jealousy, spite, anger, judgement (surely all very childish things) are not permitted and would have trouble existing, within the context of a normal visit and before the real tiredness sets in on the children.
So, accepting that I am permitted to have at least some childish enjoyments does not mean that in many contexts I have to put away my childish things. Existence as an adult has responsibilities for a lot of things, not the least of them protecting family and obeying laws. But I do not accept that I have to act as an adult in a couple of particular ways.
For instance, I don't believe that I have to frequent "Adult" bookstores, where the word is an euphemism where I would use "sleazy." But a bigger bone of contention to me is the word "Adult" used in entertainment. When these are "Adult" places we certainly wouldn't want our children to go there, but I don't have to just because I am an adult. The same applies to that ludicrous warning on video entertainment, mostly from the broadcasters: Violence and Nudity are obvious things to have our children avoid seeing, but what the heck is "Adult Language" supposed to imply to anyone, especially children? Maybe those children that are allowed to hear this "Adult Language" believe it is something you need to use when you grow up.
This "Adult Language" is certainly not what I speak, and I
really do not care to be associated with anybody who does speak it. My vocabulary
isn't childish, but "Adult Language" is certainly not something
I am ever going to grow up to use. Put away something else, please, I'll
just keep that childish thing.