The essential and defining characteristic of childhood is not the effortless merging of dream and reality, but only alienation. There are no words for childhood's dark turns and exhalations. A wise child recognizes it and submits to the necessary consequences. A child who counts the cost is a child no longer.
Childhood is characterized more by a sense of alienation than by the seamless blending of dreams and reality. This complexity highlights the often unspoken struggles and dark moments that come with growing up. Children experience emotional turmoil that can be difficult to articulate, indicating a depth to their experience that goes beyond surface-level joy.
A wise child is one who understands these challenges and accepts the unavoidable repercussions of growing up. In contrast, a child who becomes overly aware of these costs loses their innocence, marking a significant transition in their life. This suggests that the essence of childhood may lie in a certain purity, which is tainted when awareness of the world's harsh realities sets in.
