My Own Utopian Experiment # 34: Keep in touch with your inner child.
Did you read ‘Alice in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll when you were little? I remember reading this as a little girl. I was not amused but rather horrified. The story scared me more than any other scary stories. This is the lesson that adults should consider. Child imagination is so wild and different from the one of grown-ups. I once met a little boy scared from watching the famous kid’s movie, Lion King. The beast like lions fight with each other. No matter the reason, it can be scary to kids’ eyes. That’s exactly what happened to me.
The story starts by Alice sucking into a rabbit hole. She did not mean to. It was not fair. She was just curious about the white rabbit with the ability to talk and carrying a watch. The worst side of falling into the hole was the length of falling. She was falling and falling. It did not seem to end. I was worried it would fall all night. I was concerned she might not able to crawl out the deep hole. She ended up where little creatures live. I thought she was scared and lonely. The horror did not end there. She drank portions that turned her small, big and weird looking. It all appeared too many accidents in a very short period of time. I wanted her just to go home and stop drinking the unknown portions. Animals and the little creatures could talk but mostly non-sense. I was sure she felt lonely. No real friends. I was feeling her sorrow. She walked and wondered around thru woods and strange doors. It seemed there was no way going home. After reading the story, I was determined to avoid rabbit holes at all costs. If I see a rabbit with a watch, I was determined to run to the opposite direction. This lasted very long time. I did not want to suck into the underground world away from home.
I found a copy at a book fair a couple years ago. I decided to read the book again. Some may say it is a children’s book but it is a master piece for anyone. That’s why many people adore classics. I had so much fun re-reading the book. I soaked up more details since I am not too scared now. My imaginations even add all the possibilities. If I see a white rabbit with a watch, I may follow him now. Long fall is still not my favorite part but I would do it as a cost to the adventure. The non-sense talking animals and insects are so different. I will do my best to be open and really get to know them. I will bring my sketchbook to draw some of them with notes and daily events. I would make my own journal book of the adventure. I would even find a way to come back down there at any time I want to. I will make friends down there to visit. I need to visit them once a year so they remember me so I can have the admission to their world as grown up. After finishing book, I found a hole at the bottom of a tree nearby home. I peeked into it half-hoping to see a white rabbit. I drew the white rabbit with his clothes and watch in my sketchbook as part of art journal.
If you have an option, I would recommend to read the book with original illustrations. I prefer black and while ones just like the original. There are books with colorful illustrations as well if you are curious how it would look with colors. Lewis Carroll wrote another Alice’s story, ‘Through the Looking-Glass’. The story ends with this poem. I would like to share it with you to inspire all of you to keep in touch with your child. What was your favorite book from childhood? Sending good wishes as always with love.
A boat beneath a sunny sky,
Lingering onward dreamily
In an evening of July-
Children three that nestle near,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Pleased a simple tale to hear-
Long has paled that sunny sky:
Echoes fade and memories die:
Autumn frosts have slain July.
Still she haunts me, phantomwise,
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes.
Children yet, the tale to hear,
Eager eye and willing ear,
Loving shall nestle near.
In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summer die:
Ever drifting down the stream-
Lingering in the golden gleam-
Life, what is it but a dream?