It is a commonly held truism that we lose our childlike wonder as we grow older. We "put away childish things" and grow up. But I have always considered this to be one of the great tragedies of the human condition. So does that make those of us that still play with toy soldiers 'special' or just immature?
Hello there Lee,
ReplyDeleteYour post has really given me food for thought and needless to say I have a theory about this. For me I would call it the Star Wars Effect. The first time I ever saw Star Wars (it was a rainy Thursday afternoon in the old Odeon in East Ham) it absolutely blew me away. I had never seen anything like this and at the risk of being cliched (cliched? Moi?) it was my first steps into a wider universe. The action, the special effects, the ‘cheese’ factor were unlike I had seen before and I was awestruck.
The same effect was when I first read Charge! Or how to play wargames by Messrs Young and Lawford. The book had - and very much still does - a profound effect on how wargame.
Both of the above examples tell a simple story and in many ways a simple one. For sure we can pick holes in both as we are now far more sophisticated (Really..?). and have supposedly ‘put aside childish things’. I think that by tapping in to any of our earlier influences - when we were not as worldly wise or worn down by life and everything that goes with it - acts as a soothing balm and puts us in touch with what was exciting and made the spirit soar. Surely that is no bad thing?
Remember Lee the rejects will be with you….always….
DC