The Creative Adult Is a Child Who Survived

Letting Out Your Inner Child

When she told me she was here for Gen Con, I smiled back and said, "I thought I was the only child who never grew up in this world."

That's when she said something that stuck with me.

"The creative adult is a child who survived."

Wow.

That line hit me hard because it's so true. As we grow older, many of us forget the joy of simply playing, imagining, and creating. Life piles on responsibilities--bills, work, family, expectations--and somewhere along the way, a lot of people bury their inner child under the weight of being "grown."

But not all of us.

Some of us hold onto that spark. We still love cartoons, comic books, video games, board games, or simply goofing around for no reason other than the joy of it.

Maybe it's because I worked at Toys R Us as a teenager, but I've always said: "I don't want to grow up, I'm a Toys R Us kid." Remember that song? And today, that phrase feels even more meaningful.

Now I know--I'm not just refusing to grow up. I'm a creative adult... because I'm one of the children who survived.

So thank you, young lady. You know who you are. If you ever read this article, I hope you smile and share it with your friends. Your words inspired me, and maybe they'll inspire someone else to reconnect with their inner child too.

By the way, Gen Con--the convention she was smiling about--is the largest tabletop gaming event in North America, right here in Indianapolis. Every year since 2003, tens of thousands of gamers converge on the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium for four days of games, cosplay, seminars, and community. Meeting someone who was literally living that joy of play--it reminded me just why I've never wanted to stop being a kid at heart.

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