Sometimes even old men revert back to childish behavior either in a playful mood with their spouse or times when they are jovial with their children or grandchildren. I am 83 years old and have some health problems, be that as it may, there are times that I enjoy behaving like a delinquent. When my wife accuses me of being silly, I may say that. “I’m trying to be a big boy! ”I still have a few friends that are willing to play handball, a sport I have played several times a week since I was a 23-year-old university student. That represents 60 years of handball. Most of us play like our age would indicate, but we have a lot of fun. Many times are play is hilarious and we will laugh and behave as young teenagers might act. I guess that, that is what keeps us coming back to the court. Someone has advised that we should “Begin where you are. But don’t stay where you are.” There are very few who stay where they are, where they started but I wonder if you can ever really take the boy out of the man? There are probably times when you call your father ‘dad’ but you are really think- ing ‘daddy.’ Times when adult pressures get too extreme and you want to escape for a while. You want to act silly and be silly, at the same time you can never fully escape your maturity, you’ve been developing it for too long and you become programed to behave adult like. William James stated; “Remember when you have to make a choice and don’t make it, That is in itself a choice.” During most of our lives we choose to be mature and our adult positions often require mature behavior even when we would choose to be silly. I remember reading from this play, which I do not do very often but it struck me as funny though there apparently was no laughter expressed in the lines;
Barbara Darling: Take off your jacket. Relax. [long pause]
Barbara Darling: Would you like a drink? Coffee?
Bernard Chanticleer: Coffee? A drink. Maybe better coffee. I mean, a drink of coffee.
Barbara Darling: I know what’s wrong with you. You would like a glass of milk! But you’re afraid to ask for one because you’ll think Barbara will think you’re a little boy. But it’s alright. You can ask Barbara for a glass of milk and she’ll bring it to you. Go on. Ask Barbara for a glass of milk. Say: I want a glass of milk.
Bernard Chanticleer: I want a glass of milk.
Barbara Darling: You see? See how easy, sunshine?
Eleanor Roosevelt said that “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent“
Barbara Darling obviously helped Bernard to be or feel a little inferior, as he finally was a ‘Big Boy’ and did ask for the milk he wanted.
Oh, life, how many facets do we have, how many roles are we expected to play? It is so true that you can take the man out of the boy but you can’t take the boy out of the man. I pray that the boy will never leave this man—the boy (in the man) has much more fun in life than does the man.