youthful fascinations

Larry's Thoughts::


It's a quiet Monday evening which are the best type of evenings. When I got home from work, Bridge was watching "Golden Girls" like we did most of the weekend. Since Bea "Dorothy" Arthur passed away last week, there have been lots of reruns on honoring her. No matter how many times I watch those four old ladies, I still laugh hard like I did watching them as a boy when the show first ran on TV. There's nothing like a good laugh that's for sure (no matter how many times Bridge teases me for being a straight man who likes "Golden Girls"). There's something reassuring like that TV show that makes me feel good. The laughs I had watching something like "Golden Girls" makes me like I did over 20 years ago.

Anyways, after that was over, I was channel surfing since Bridge was napping. I came across one of my other favorite shows, Star Trek. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a die-hard 'Trekkie' for years. I've watched every form of Star Trek since I was young. Being that young, I had a certain sense of social awkwardness that many young people do. I watched anything Star Trek, read anything Star Trek, and generally immersed myself in anything Star Trek since I felt I could identify with that show. I was always highly intelligent and felt as if I was smarter than many of my peers. I hid that fact because, honestly, most people (especially young people) are threatened by those they perceive to be smarter than themselves. I identified with the characters on Star Trek because they were exalted because of their intelligence instead of put down by it. Plus the characters were portrayed as without fear and physically adept and, as a boy, that's how I wanted to be also. In the world of the future that Star Trek portrays, mankind is portrayed in a utopian sense where many of our current problems don't exist anymore. I never quite let go of that part of my childhood since I'm very excited about the new Star Trek movie opening this weekend too.

I can't help but also think of one of my other favorite parts of my youth and that is the character of Batman. As long as I can remember (which has to be about 30 years now), I've considered Batman to be a role model for me. Most don't completely understand why I've been a fan of that character for years now. When I was young, I didn't have a strong male role model to look up to. Psychologically speaking, it is my belief that any young man seeks strong, positive male role models to look up to. Many incarcerated males have stated in the past a lack of positive male role models as a reason they turned to darker substitutes such as crime, drugs, or gangs. With the exception of my beloved grandfathers, I felt I lacked a figure to look up to. Therefore, when I started watching Batman cruise the dark streets of Gotham City on television as a young boy, I was immediately enamored. Here was this good man named Bruce Wayne who used his vast wealth and power to protect the people of Gotham from those who would do harm to them. He was a normal man, without extraterrestrial powers, who perfected himself mentally and physically so that a normal person like me wouldn't suffer or hurt they way he did when his parents died. That, to me, was something I could look up to and it gave me comfort and reassurance. It was proof that hard work and dedication to a goal could have a positive result. So began my interest in the character which has led to a minor hobby for me as an adult since I have collected Batman knick-knack's over the years.

As I've grown into an adult, I've often been asked about why I still care about things of my youth such as the examples of Star Trek or Batman. It's as if somehow and someway, we are supposed to "grow out" of our youthful interests and fascinations and forget about that which reassured us as children. But, I ask, why should any of us feel pressured to have to "grow out" of that which we embraced as children? I think many adults get wrapped up in the duties and responsibilities of real life that they forget to just step back and think about that which gave us comfort. Whether it be a favorite decades-old blanket you hid under during thunderstorms, a certain ice cream parlor your grandparents took you to when you had a sore throat, or an old VHS cartoon you laughed at when you were sad that is buried in a drawer somewhere, I really believe that never letting go of positive memories like those are key to embracing the present and preparing for the future. I hope that you agree with me as well.