Childhood

When I was at work the other day a Mother came in with her 2 girls. The younger of the two was probably around seven & the older one was probably around twelve. The twelve year old stood barely four & a half feet tall. She was cute & had a quiet, child-like voice. As I spoke to her and I realized something. She was wearing a lot of make up.

I am twenty one. I didn't have any makeup on this particular day. I wear makeup, probably an average of once a week, at the very most. I never wore make up when I was in high school and I certainly didn't wear it when I was twelve.

As I looked at this young girl before me I realized something...She looked sad. Her face was covered with makeup, masking the little, innocent child she should still be allowed to be. Instead she's covering up her childhood with powder on a brush and mascara on a wand. She's wearing jeans that hug her skinny legs, despite their lack of curves. She's trying so desperately to show the world she isn't a child. 

Beneath the long, mascara covered lashes her blue eyes could hardly meet mine as I spoke to her. They darted around like she was terrified I would see through her carefully put together disguise. She's fooled everyone but it was as if she was afraid to meet the careful, watchful eyes of the world for fear they'd call her out as a child beneath her mask. For a single moment though, her eyes caught mine...

They looked sad. And confused. Maybe she'd dug herself so deep in this lie, trying to hide her innocence, that she wants an escape. Maybe she's realized that being older isn't all it's cracked up to be and she misses the childhood she should be living. 

This Christmas I wish we, as a society, could give children back their childhoods and give their spirits back their innocence. 

Let the children be children. 

Emily xo