Childlike vs. Childish - Part 1

Hey folks!

Anyone need a good laugh? I do. Badly! Someone send me a bad joke. Actually, make it a good one! :)

Been thinking lately about the difference between "childlike" and "childish". Is there a difference? Someone I know hinted that sometimes I am the latter. To which I responded, "You don't really know me that well...do you?" and in my mind, I said a couple of more things that I will not write here :). I will still need to be forgiven for my thoughts though....

Okay fine. I admit, the observation caused me to blow up like an alarmed porcupine, erecting my "quills"...somedays this is likened to a stroke of my pen. Careful I don't "write" you out of my life, haha!

Back to thinking...so...what is considered "childlike" and "childish"....

Many online dictionaries state "childlike" as "like or befitting a child, as in innocence, trustfulness, or candor". Synonyms include innocent, trusting, guileless, simple, unfeigned....

"Childish" when used in reference to an adult generally means "marked by or indicating a lack of maturity as in like a child".

Many of us lose our "childlike-ness" as we grow up. We get cynical. Our world views are affected and sometimes tainted by our experiences, some of which are painful. We even lose hope although we would never admit that. We sometimes twist innocent gestures into something "bad". Unfortunately, we do not lose as much of our "childishness" with the same passing of time...at least in my humble opinion.

Here's a pick-me-up that one of my brothers sent me this past week that reminds me how innocent life once was. It also gave me a good, hearty laugh as it made me think of some of the things I receive from students at school. Take a good look at the picture before you scroll down for the explanation. Enjoy!

I have more to say in Part II this weekend...."childlike" vs. "childish"... to be continued...

PS - for those not in North America, Home Depot is a giant Do-It-Yourself store where folks go to get anything from hardware to flooring options to furniture, all available to the public so everyone can their own renovations, if they so choose.




(Here's the reply the teacher received the following day)


Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.

From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith