Being Naive

I have fallen under the category of naive many times in my life. Recently I’m even learning that I might be considered gullible.

I understand how these things can be problematic. I know I shouldn’t trust everything I see, like the tiny hippopotamus commercials they used to show. Perhaps it’s a cultural thing, to trust people until they burn you or give you reasons not to be trusted. After all, we Canadians are supposed to be the polite loving kind.

When these two words have been applied to me, it’s always felt like a negative criticism. As in; I should harden up! How am I going to survive in today’s hard times if I don’t have a rough exterior? If I don’t protect myself from all those evils out there!? “People are going to take advantage of you!”.

Here’s the thing though, folks: I am actively, passionately naive.

Yes, that results in gullible tendencies, and yeah that sucks sometimes. If it’s true that we create our own realities, I don’t want to create mine through a filter of fear. I want to be bold, and run up to people in the grocery store and ask them their name and how old they are, and tell them a little something about myself. I want to create my reality through childish lenses.

The world is such a HUGE place when you’re a kid, and you are invincible. I understand that sometimes, you will get your hair pulled, or the group of people you thought were your friends will snicker and whisper to each other that you are a pumpkin head – just because you thought a mini ponytail on top of your strawberry blonde head would look nice! I KNOW THAT! I know that, first hand man. But that doesn’t stop you from doing it in the morning, from walking out the door with your sweet pumpkin head feeling like you’re on top of it all.

Imagine a world where grown ups are as brave as kids. Instead of getting your hair pulled, we get ourselves messed up in debt, or voting (or rather complaining instead of voting), or like… feeding yourself. When we grow up we get tricked into thinking that these things mean more than getting your hair pulled. But, money is a concept. A tool used to create a hierarchy of those who have it and those who don’t, giving false power to people who invest their time trying to obtain this strange piece of paper. No doubt pulling the hair of numerous people along the way. Figuratively of course. In reality we’re to scared to touch other humans to actually just pull someone’s hair if you’re mad at them, it would be much clearer to know who your friends and enemies are if we would just pull each other’s hair though.

The most naive people, in my opinion, fail to recognize these things scare us as adults. The things that keep us playing on playgrounds and talking to strangers are FALSE things. They’re symbolic. There is nothing physically different about the world when you’re a grown up. You’ve just have more time to be conditioned.

So, sue me! I’m going to assume the best in everyone, and love people and share my life with people, and wear my most favourite outfits even if they happen to involve a pumpkin head hair-dos, and MAYBE even pull some hair. I’m not afraid of the world, I’m not going to get old and crusty just because people think I need to be protected. I hope some of you might join me.