Have you lost your innocence?

No, I'm not referring to your virginity. What I am referring to is harboring that child-like innocence in which you believe that anything, and everything is possible.

Personally, I do think I've lost that. For example, I was in a three year relationship with a guy I met at my first year of college and after he cheated on me (just last month), I became a much more gaurded person; I sometimes feel like I don't ever want to put myself out there again for fear of being hurt. Or when I switched my major to something else because it was more practical and safe. To clarify, I'm not saying that I don't ever take chances (I sometimes do), but I'm much more hesitant. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say that when we were kids, we had the world at our feet. We were uninhibited and fearless - I miss that.

Whether it's aspirations, relationships, or anything really, do you find that you place many limits on yourself because of fear? And do you think that it's important to try to regain that innocence? Or is that just being naive?

I think hugs make everything better!

Yup. A long time ago. The last time I had my innocence was when I was 12 and a pretty teenage girl asked me if I knew how to play with fire. I said, "No. My mom said to never play with matches."

I found out what she really meant a year later.

I think I must have lost it at around 6 years old. I was very sickly and in and out of the hospital at lot as a child, often for weeks at a time. During one stay when I was 6 I had been sharing a room with this other boy for a few weeks, during that time we struck up a friendship and played together as much as possible. I woke up one morning and he wasn't there anymore. He had passed away during the night. That's when I lost that child's innocence I think. It's like this quote from the movie 'The Crow': "childhood's over the moment you realize you're gonna die".

There are times that I have that kind of wonderment at the world, but they are few and far between. Too many other important things on my mind.

It's been dead for a while now.

I do believe that "innocence" to be a quality that is born of ignorance. There is nothing noble about it. People who are like that are never mindful of the consequences their actions have. It's an irresponsible way to live. While it's ok to have aspirations, they have to be checked against what you can accomplish and the burdens you have placed on yourself because of the choices you have made.

I don't think I ever had itthemajormayor

I've still got it.

I do believe that "innocence" to be a quality that is born of ignorance. There is nothing noble about it. People who are like that are never mindful of the consequences their actions have. It's an irresponsible way to live. While it's ok to have aspirations they have to checked against what you can accomplish and the burdens you have placed on yourself because of the choices you have made.

SirWander

I stopped being that "anything I can think of is possible" kid when I was around 6

I don't think I ever had itthemajormayor

I aint guilty of nuffin bad.KiIIyou

liar liar, plants for hire

No, and I fee like I'm not maturing at all. My best friend works at EA, another friend is almost done Pharmacy school, and I haven't really done anything with my life. lonewolf604

Well do you at least have a general idea of what you want to do? Anything you enjoy doing?

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"]I aint guilty of nuffin bad.wis3boi

liar liar, plants for hire

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"]No, and I fee like I'm not maturing at all. My best friend works at EA, another friend is almost done Pharmacy school, and I haven't really done anything with my life. Ace_of_Spades90

Well do you at least have a general idea of what you want to do? Anything you enjoy doing?

[QUOTE="wis3boi"]

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"]I aint guilty of nuffin bad.KiIIyou

liar liar, plants for hire

but that's filled wit dookie D:

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"][QUOTE="wis3boi"]

liar liar, plants for hire

wis3boi

but that's filled wit dookie D:

[QUOTE="wis3boi"]

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"]*hides in sewer*KiIIyou

but that's filled wit dookie D:

Here's a sponge

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"][QUOTE="wis3boi"]

but that's filled wit dookie D:

wis3boi

Here's a sponge

[QUOTE="wis3boi"]

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"]You give me bath now.KiIIyou

Here's a sponge

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"][QUOTE="wis3boi"]

Here's a sponge

wis3boi

[QUOTE="wis3boi"]

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"]You give me bath now.KiIIyou

Here's a sponge

Did you even consider where wis3boi got that sponge from?

[spoiler] [/spoiler]

[QUOTE="KiIIyou"][QUOTE="wis3boi"]

Here's a sponge

F22_King_Raptor

Did you even consider where wis3boi got that sponge from?

[spoiler] [/spoiler]

No. My Mind a few times though..

[QUOTE="Ace_of_Spades90"]

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"]No, and I fee like I'm not maturing at all. My best friend works at EA, another friend is almost done Pharmacy school, and I haven't really done anything with my life. lonewolf604

Well do you at least have a general idea of what you want to do? Anything you enjoy doing?

Hard to make a stable living with music? Well if you go to college and procure a degree in music (there's many different kinds - you would have to discuss that with your career counselor, as I'm a music noob lol); after which, you can pursue a variety of careers: music professor (Music History, Music Theory, Composition, Conducting....there's a ton of stuff) music therapist, etc.

But yeah, just do what you love to do (it won't feel like work). At the same time, though, don't close yourself off to new things because how will you know if you'll like/dislike something if you never tried it?

Believing anything is possible isn't innocence, is it? Because I sort of believe that when I'm in a good mood, and I'm definitely not innocent.IdioticIcarus

Okay, bad wording on my part I will admit lol.

I guess the word I was looking for was hope.

If "childhood innocence" is believing that there's good in everyone and that you can make a difference in the world, I feel like "losing your childhood innocence" just leads to another, more destructive innocence- one of ignorance. People get all caught up in the bad things in life, and believe that there's nothing you can do to improve the world. They think that they're "realistic" and "mature" because they see the world this way. Neither extreme is right, but the negative outlook is much more detrimental. You don't have to be a doctor or a war hero or a world leader to make a difference. You can always volunteer, or even just donate. If you donate a dollar you've already done more than the naysayers who say that no one can improve this world. I volunteered at a hospice, and the sheer act of letting these people know that someone cares is enough of a change for me. Already I've done more than anyone who sits on their ass because they're "realistic". Even at a boring entry level desk job at a medical credentialing company, the fact that I was protecting patients from unqualified or dangerous practicioners was enough to make me feel good about what I was doing. So to answer the question, I guess I haven't lost my "childhood innocence", and I don't think that's a bad thing. All of the people saying that they've lost their "innocence", and become mature or something along those lines, you haven't matured whatsoever. I think that after the childhood innocence phase, there's an adult ignorance phase, and this is the phase that people need to grow out of. The world is a harsh place, but everyone on this site is at least well off enough to afford a computer, so you have no excuse to sit around moping like a bunch of angsty teenagers.

I found out at around the age of 16 the way to become financially successful is by taking advantage of the ignorant. Fightingfan

Half-way. Sometimes I'm just absolutely sparking and so happy. But sometimes I'm just not.

[QUOTE="Fightingfan"]I found out at around the age of 16 the way to become financially successful is by taking advantage of the ignorant. MgamerBD

It's either in the fridge next to the mustard, or underneath one of the couch cushions, I forget which at the moment.

[QUOTE="MgamerBD"][QUOTE="Fightingfan"]I found out at around the age of 16 the way to become financially successful is by taking advantage of the ignorant. Fightingfan

A long time ago....

[QUOTE="Fightingfan"][QUOTE="MgamerBD"] QFT. I lost it when I realized that the manipulative and clever rule the world. That in order to get to a higher class you have to get your hands dirty. Sadly, this world will never be fair so why play fair.Rich3232

He could model his papacy after John XII.