"old minded, but young at heart"

After giving a chemistry demo show for elementary students, I was reminded about the consequences of becoming more wise, experienced, and "educated". when one grows older, one tends to lose, quite linearly, the innocence of imagination, of knowledge; and most especially, of questioning. What I saw in them and am starting to see fade in me, is less of a fascination about what will happen or what could happen. Instead such innocence has been replaced with a stern precociousness trying to figure out why something is -- merely to compiling loads of information. maybe this is some attempt to be prepared for future challenges or questions "I am supposed/called to" answer in my life. But then maybe, and unfortunately, it is the gradual slip of being a excited viewer of life into a stern critic. Not being excited about aspects of life for the experience or thing itself. But filing them away in some elaborate mental cabinet in hopes of future use.

But right now, I recognize the preparedness cannot come prior over even during, a given experience. And thus, each moment in life, in aggregate might prepare you for the future. But each moment needs to be lived for that moment. And each experience for that experience. If not, at the end of life, you might have all the answers but to which questions? even more troubling, is that if you lose or rather divert that innocence for or to "wisdom" or "experience" you put at jeopardy being surprised or intrigued by different subject matter. This could lead to a loss, eventually, of passion, which would be truly sad!

Comment please if you feel this way or don't...