The Child Inside You: Why Wonder Still Heals What the World Breaks

 

Week 6 — The Child Inside You
Why play, wonder, and curiosity still matter — and how to reclaim them

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Dear readers,

Do you remember the last time you laughed so hard your stomach ached? Or when you lost track of time doing something just because it made you happy — not productive, not useful, just joyful?

Somewhere between growing up and growing older, many of us misplaced that version of ourselves — the barefoot child who used to run without worrying about how they looked, who collected pebbles, not paychecks; who found entire galaxies inside soap bubbles and stories in clouds.

Life taught us to trade imagination for efficiency, wonder for wisdom, and curiosity for caution. But here’s the thing — the child inside you never really disappeared. They’re just waiting for permission to come out again.

When was the last time you played without purpose?
When did you last ask “why?” and truly listen to the answer?
When did you last marvel at something ordinary — a blooming flower, a laughing stranger, the smell of rain after months of heat?

The child inside you is not naïve — they’re pure. They remind you that healing isn’t found in perfection, but in play. That curiosity keeps the heart young, even when the body grows tired. And that joy is not something you earn — it’s something you remember.

So take a day to color outside the lines. Dance in your living room. Build a pillow fort. Ask silly questions. Tell stories to the stars. Wonder out loud. The world is serious enough; your soul deserves softness.

And as you close your eyes tonight, imagine that little version of you — smiling, barefoot, waiting at the edge of a dream. Reach out. Take their hand. Promise to meet them there again tomorrow.

Rest well for tomorrow. 🌙