The care-free, peaceful, innocent lifestyle of childhood is so simple. You did what you wanted, when you wanted, and how you wanted. Your curiosity constantly questioned your parents and siblings and friends. You had no fear, no limits, no boundaries.
As an 18 year old, I constantly have fear, have limits, and have boundaries. At least I feel like I do. I have to do this essay, I have to make money, I have to learn to pay the bills, and most unfortunately, I have taken organic chemistry.
Yes, I chose to be here at the University of Michigan. Yes, I love everything about it. Yes, there are classes I dislike, a lot. The problem with my mindset above is I tend to focus on the word dislike as a limit to my passions. I tend to use the phrase "have to" to describe the boundaries that keep me from my curiosity. These two focuses give me fear.
While this fear keeps me going, working, and striving, I have discovered the child-mindset in me gets rid of these made up limits and boundaries and brings out my curiosity.
Can you imagine a world if Alice didn't go through the looking glass? Or a world where Mulan never challenged the stereotypes and never fought in place of her dad? What if Ariel never wondered who the people were?
She wouldn't have married her Prince Eric. She wouldn't have lived her dream.
My curiosity has led me to discover so much about myself and the community I'm surrounded by because I take time to breath, refresh, and learn from others' passions.
Similar to when I was young and I built rocket ship forts out of every pillow and blanket in my house because I wanted to a part of mission control for NASA, I now complete research through the University of Michigan Department of Surgery because I want to be in the health field.
When you take a minute to picture, imagine, create your dream you will know what you want and what you want to find more about.
Curiosity must be kept alive because with each new day, comes new questions and new ideas and that's what keeps the world innovating.